To Love and to Lie
by chimingofthebells
Summary: Merlin and Arthur are in love, but Arthur is forced into a marriage with the princess Arabella from a nearby kingdom. Arthur's heart is broken until Arabella confronts him with an interesting proposal that just might allow him to be with his true love after all. My first Merlin fanfiction! Please review!
1. Chapter 1

_Hello! This is my very first Merlin fanfic, so please please read and review, but be kind! Thank you! :)_

* * *

Arthur entered his chambers, closing the door behind him. He unfastened his robe and let it fall to the floor in a heap. He then made his way over to a chair and fell into it, exhausted. Merlin looked up from where he was preparing the Prince's bed.

"Bad meeting, was it?" he said, taking in Arthur's tired form. The prince rubbed his eyes.

"You have no idea," He replied. Merlin made his way over to him. He poured a goblet of water from the pitcher on the table and offered it to Arthur. Arthur accepted it and gulped it down. Merlin pulled up a chair beside him and reached out to squeeze his prince's forearm. Arthur placed the goblet on the table.

"I swear, Merlin, sitting in that room all day is one of the worst tortures imaginable."

"At least you didn't have to spend all day cleaning your room," Merlin teased. When Arthur didn't respond, he frowned. Something was wrong. The prince's face was downcast, his expression one of utter defeat.

"Arthur? Is something wrong?" Merlin asked, moving to grasp Arthur's hand in his own. Arthur lifted his eyes to gaze into those of his manservant. Merlin gazed back, searching. Something was going on behind those eyes, something deeply troubling. His brow furrowed.

Instead of answering his question, Arthur leaned in and pressed his lips to Merlin's. His eyes closed briefly, then he pulled back.

"Some very important visitors will be arriving in Camelot in a few days. King Vladimir of some nearby kingdom will be staying with us. We need to start preparing immediately."

"of course, sire." Merlin couldn't see why this would cause such distress. "Anything else?"

Arthur looked at him, took a deep breath, and said, "He is bringing with him his daughter Arabella."

Merlin waited for more information. None came. "And..." he prompted. Arthur looked down at their intertwined hands. He gave Merlin's hand a small squeeze before he dropped it and lifted himself from his chair. Merlin rose with him, staring at him imploringly. Arthur couldn't bring himself to look his friend in the eye. He moved to the window and stared down into the courtyard, bathed in the glow of sunset.

"My father and King Merek are hoping...my father expects me to marry Arabella." He grimaced as he said the words. He could feel Merlin's eyes on him in the silence that followed this announcement. He didn't have to look to know that Merlin's face wore an expression of hurt and bewilderment.

"Does he." Merlin's tone was tight. Arthur nodded stiffly. "But...you aren't going to marry her, right?"

Arthur turned from the window to face his lover, and from the look on his face, Merlin knew the answer.

"I have to. I don't have a choice this time. My father made it clear to me, when the meeting was over, that I had to marry her. King Vladimir's kingdom is a powerful one, and an alliance is crucial. I have to marry her." There was a short, heavy silence.

"I don't want to marry her. I tried to protest, really I did. You know I would never do this willingly. You know who I would marry, if I had the choice."

Merlin nodded. He did know. He and Arthur had been lovers for over a year now, finally admitting their feelings for each other after many years of words with double meanings and looks that lasted too long. The past year together had been the best year of both of their lives, even though they had to keep their relationship a secret. It had been a year of stolen glances in the throne room, Merlin staying the night in Arthur's chambers, and taking many week-long hunting trips, just the two of them. Few people suspected the true nature of their relationship. They covered their tracks well, fiercely guarding their secret in the fear that Uther would find out and have Merlin destroyed. They had proclaimed their love for one another, in the latest hours of the night, knowing that they could never truly be together. It hurt, but they carried on the affair, content for the time being. Now, the hearts of the prince and the servant were truly breaking.

"I understand, sire," Merlin said numbly. "You have a duty to your people." He was seized with the urge to run from the room, but he stayed put, eyes cast to the floor. Arthur watched him with pained eyes.

"I don't want this, Merlin. You know I don't." Merlin nodded again.

"No, I understand. Now if you'll excuse me, my lord, I have chores..." He trailed off as he turned and fled the prince's chambers. Knowing that Arthur would soon belong to someone else, he couldn't bear to spend another minute in his presence.

* * *

Uther, Arthur, and Morgana stood at the head of the throne room, standing tall and looking their best. Merlin stood behind them, staring ahead determinedly. Arthur twisted around to meet his gaze, grimacing briefly to turn back to the front of the room. The doors swung open and two figures appeared in a burst of fanfare.

King Vladimir was a tall man, muscular and firm, clad in chain mail and a dark green robe. His head was adorned with a simple but majestic crown, and he held it high as he strode forward. At his side walked a small, dainty woman who could only be the princess Arabella. Her small, pale face was framed with light brown hair that cascaded gracefully around her shoulders. Her dress was the same dark green as her father's.

"Ah, King Vladimir! How lovely to see you!" Uther put on a warm smile and strode forward to clasped his guest's hand.

"Uther, my friend, it has been far too long," Said Vladimir, returning the smile. "If I may introduce my daughter, Arabella." He gestured towards her and she stepped forward, dropping into a low bow. Uther smiled towards her.

"Yes, we have heard quite a bit about your lovely daughter. If I may do the same, may I introduce my son, Arthur."

Arthur stepped forward and bowed to the princess, taking her extended hand and planting a delicate kiss upon it.

"A pleasure," He said, straightening up, "To be in the presence of such divine beauty."

"The pleasure's all mine." Arabelle smiled sweetly and dropped her hand to her side. Arthur stood straight, doing his very best not to turn and look at Merlin. He had been given strict instructions to be on his best princely behavior, in order to win the princess' heart.

"I have no doubt that you two will become quite close during your stay," Uther smiled towards them. "Arthur, perhaps tomorrow you can give the Lady Arabella a tour of the castle, to become better acquainted with one another."

Arthur nodded. "Of course, father."

"Tonight, there shall be a feast, to welcome our guests, King Vladimir and his lovely daughter Arabella," Uther proclaimed. "Until then please, make yourselves at home here in my castle."

"Thank you, Uther. It was quite a long journey here and I think my daughter and I would like to rest before tonight's festivities," Said Vladimir.

"If I may escort Lady Arabella to her chambers," Said Arthur, extending his arm. Arabella hesitated before shyly taking it.

"Of course, thank you." The two shot looks at their fathers, who nodded in approval. Then the two walked from down the room and out the doors. Behind them, Merlin stared, fighting hard against the tears that were threatening to burst forth.

* * *

That evening, Arthur and Arabella sat side by side at the welcoming feast. Arthur kept up a stream of light conversation with the princess, shooting glances around the room, at his father, at King Vladimir, at Merlin. His servant stood resolutely by the wall with a pitcher of wine, eyeing the two with a masked expression. Arthur did his best to avoid his eye, but Merlin always caught it. They would look at each other for a few moments, only for the prince to grimace and turn his eyes away. If Arabella noticed, she did not acknowledge it. She seemed to be glancing nervously at her father, where he was chatting merrily with Uther beside her.

Arthur spoke lightly with her, and was relieved to find she like to talk rather than listen. He was not feeling up to courting her this night, and was glad to pretend to listen to her describe her castle in her kingdom. The conversation was going well until they hit a lull in which neither Arthur nor Arabella could think of anything to say. They lapsed into an awkward silence, fidgeting in their seats.

"More wine?" said Arthur, noticing that her goblet was nearly empty. She nodded and he gestured to Merlin, motioning to fill her goblet. He reached the pitcher in between the prince and the princess. Arthur looked down at the table, not trusting himself to be in such proximity while Arabella was present. As Merlin withdrew his arm, Arabella looked up and thanked him. Arthur looked up too.

"Thank you, Merlin." Their eyes met for the briefest of moments before Merlin cast his eyes to the floor.

"Sire." Merlin walked back to his place against the wall, keeping his eyes down. Arthur watched him go, wishing he could reach out and remind him that courting Arabella wasn't his idea. Arabella noticed Arthur watching his manservant, and suspicion and realization flickered on her face.

"He seems like a good servant, Merlin," She said, nodding to the boy.

"Yes," Arthur agreed. "Although I wouldn't say he was the best. He's clumsy and forgetful, but he gets the job done."

"They say you can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his servants. I can tell you care for Merlin very much."

Arthur started. Did she know? "Yes, he has been a good friend to me over the years." His gaze moved to his plate, not wanting to meet the gaze of Arabella in fear that she would read the truth in his eyes. The princess only nodded and moved the conversation to other things. And so the night went on, making polite conversation and both avoiding the fact that they both knew how much the prince truly did care for his servant.

* * *

The next morning found Arthur and Arabella strolling through the halls of the castle, side by side. Arabella listened with rapt attention as Arthur explained to her the different corners of the building, telling her facts about the history and their purpose. They spoke politely to each other. As he walked, Arthur was doing his best not to let his thoughts stray to Merlin. He had ordered his servant to muck out the stables for the day, so that he would be able to talk to Arabella without being distracted. It wasn't proving very effective.

As the young royals were walking past the armory, they saw their fathers approaching. Both put on identical fake smiles and leaned closer to each other.

"Getting on well, I hope?" asked Uther.

"Yes father, I was just showing Arabella around the castle. I was just about to show her to the land beyond, perhaps show her some of the woods or the lake, show her the beauty of Camelot," Arthur said. Uther smiled his approval.

"Just don't stay out too long. I hope you have a good time." Vladimir smiled to his daughter, who smiled lovingly.

"Of course, father."

The two kings smiled, nodded, and continued on their way. The minute they were out of sight, the prince and the princess dropped their smiles instantly. For a moment they avoided each others eye, then Arthur cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Shall we?" He gestured to a pair of horses set up for the two of them. Arabella nodded.

Arthur climbed up onto his horse after helping Arabella onto hers. The two galloped from the city gates and into the woods.

They rode in silence, Arthur leading the way. The sunlight fell in shafts through the leaves, pooling on ground. The entire woods was bathed in green and gold, and the birds were chirping merrily, unseen from their nests in the branches.

They stopped and dismounted when they reached the shores of a lake. The water stretched out before them, glittering in the afternoon sunlight. The two royals left their horses and sat down in the grass. They sat in silence, looking out over the lake.

"It is beautiful here," Arabella said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "All of Camelot, it is holds far more charm than my kingdom. You must be very happy here."

"I am," Arthur nodded. "Though I'm sure your kingdom must be beautiful, if you are in it." The compliment fell flat, and both knew it.

"You're flattering me," Said Arabella. Arthur said nothing, staring out across the lake to the rolling green hills beyond. After another short silence, Arabella spoke again.

"Our fathers expect for us to marry." It wasn't a question. She did not sound hopeful or angered or annoyed. It was just a statement of facts. Arthur started at this statement and looked at her. She was looking down at her lap, playing with the hem of her sleeve.

"Yes, they do." He could think of nothing else to say.

"It would bring peace and unity to our kingdoms, would it not?" Arthur nodded.

"It would."

"But we do not love each other." She looked up at him. "You seem like a kind man, brave and caring, and you would do anything for your people. But I do not love you, and you do not love me."

Arthur gaped at her, wondering where she was going with this. "No," He said. "I do not." The princess nodded.

"I believe that marriage should only be for love. People should be able to marry whomever they wish, not who their fathers choose. It must be hard, then, for you to marry me when you love someone else."

Arthur's eyes widened. "What- I don't know what you're talking about."

"Your manservant, Merlin," she said, with a knowing look in her eye. "At the feast last night. I saw how you two looked at each other. You love him more than anything, I can tell, and he feels the same way. Anyone with eyes could see that."

Arthur stared at her, for once at a loss for words.

"I understand," She continued. "You're a prince, he's just a servant, and to top it off, he's a man. Under no circumstances could you two be together. It's heartbreaking. I'm right, aren't I?"

Arthur could tell that there was no sense in protesting. He nodded.

"I'm in a similar situation. A stable boy, back in my kingdom. His name is William. I love him with all my heart, but my father can never know. I'm a princess and he's just a stable boy. It could never be." She paused and looked down again, trying to hide the heartbreak on her face.

"It's true. I have been in love with my manservant for a year now, and we've been keeping it secret. If my father were to find out he would have him hanged. It isn't fair. Sometimes I wish I weren't a prince just so that I could be with him, and not have to hide it from the people." Arthur had never confessed that to anyone, not even to Merlin.

"I feel the same. If it weren't for those wretched laws I would be able to be with William. But I can't. We were nearly caught, once, by one of our knights. He was a good man and we convinced him not to tell, but if it had been anyone else word would have reached my father and William would have been executed. It isn't fair."

The two lapsed into an unhappy silence, both fighting back tears as they thought of their forbidden loves. Finally, Arabella spoke again.

"But it doesn't matter. The laws say that royals can only marry royals. And it is true that a marriage between us would unite our kingdoms and bring peace. So I have a proposal, Arthur Pendragon."

Arthur looked up to see her staring at him with intensity, her voice full of determination. "What is that?"

"We get married. I will be your queen. We will unite our kingdoms, and our people and our fathers will be happy."

"But you just said marriage should be for love," Arthur said.

"Let me finish. We get married, and only pretend to be in love. We put on a show for our fathers, and carry on with our relationships with our true loves behind closed doors. In the eyes of the people we will be the perfect King and Queen, but when they aren't looking we can be with those who we truly love, you your servant and I my stable boy. Nobody need know."

Arabella watched him as Arthur considered this new possibility. They way she was saying it, it sounded entirely plausible. He and Merlin had managed to keep their relationship a secret this whole time. If Arabella knew and was okay with it, what was the harm? She had her own love as well, she understood what Arthur was going through. They could unite their kingdoms and have their loves as well. It sounded too good to be true.

"We could be friends," Arabella said. "I like you, Arthur. We would put on a show for the people, but in reality we would be nothing more than friends."

"Our fathers would be pleased..." Arthur said, thinking. Uther would be overjoyed to see his son willingly accept this marriage, as would King Vladimir, no doubt. He shifted uncomfortably as new thought struck the prince.

"But what about an heir?" Arthur asked. "We will be expected to produce an heir to the throne. How are we to do that if we do not truly love each other?"

Arabella was silent for a moment. "We could try," She said quietly. "Just once, we could try to produce a child."

"No," Arthur said. "Lying about marrying you is one thing, but a child is too far. I will not have a child with somebody I do not love."

"But you cannot have a child with the one you truly love," Arabella pointed out.

"Even so, I cannot accept that. I can marry you but I cannot have a child with you," The prince said with an air of finality.

"Fine!" said the princess. "We don't have to, it was merely a suggestion! William looks almost like you, his child could easily pass for yours, could you pretend to be the father?"

Arthur pondered this. He supposed, if the child wasn't really his, then maybe...

"You do want to be with Merlin, don't you?" Arabella said. "I'm giving you a chance that perhaps you will never get again. I would give you your space and you would give me mine, to be with our lovers. I'm not sure any other bride would give you this offer. An heir is something we can discuss some other time. So what do you say? Will you accept this proposal?" She looked at him hopefully. Arthur stared at her, mind racing. This could be his chance. His one chance to be with Merlin, his true love, and please his father at the same time. Nobody else would offer this, she was right.

"Yes," He said. "I accept."

Both of their faces split into grins of true happiness. Arabella shouted with glee and threw her arms around his neck.

"You see, this is wonderful! We will be with our true loves!" She pulled back and jumped to her feet, pulling Arthur up with her.

"Shall we ride back to Camelot and give our fathers the good news?" Arthur said. She nodded.

"Yes, let's!"

They mounted their horses and rode back to the city, both feeling happier than they had in a long time.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So sorry for the delay! I was on a mission trip for two weeks so I was nowhere near a computer! I hand wrote this on the car rides and it took FOREVER to type up, so I hope you like it! Reviews are much appreciated!  
**

* * *

Arthur took a deep breath and faced the doors in front of him. He stood tall, red cape clasped around his shoulders, crowned head held high. Music blared and the large oak doors swung open, revealing a throne room packed with people.

He walked down the aisle in confident strides, doing his best to mask his trembling. He reached the front of the room and turned to face the crowd.

His eyes traveled the sea of faces. The countless Lord, Ladies, and Knights stared back at him. At the front of the crowd his eyse fell on three figures.

Merlin stood humbly, wearing his usual red shirt and blue neckerchief. His expression was still. When his eyes locked with Arthur's, his face split into a reassuring grin.

Arthur's heart gave a slight twinge. The agreement with Arabella was a better deal than he ever dared to hope for, but he still wished more than anything that it was Merlin he was marrying. Was this really the best course of action?

On Merlin's right stood Giaus, the court physician. He had been the only person with whom Merlin and Arthur had trusted with their secret, and he had kept it well. Now he smiled softly at the prince.

On Merlin's other side was a tall, brown haired boy in a simple brown shirt that Arabella had introduced as William, the stable boy that had won the princess' heart. He was a handsome young man, Arthur supposed. He was strong looking with a soft jawline and gentle brown eyes. When he had been introduced to Arthur the previous day, he had gripped his hand and smiled so that his eyes crinkled around the edges. Now he stood with his hands clasped behind his back, shifting his weight nervously from foot to foot.

The music changed tempo and the room's occupants turned to see the bride walking down the aisle.

Arthur had to admit, Arabella looked beautiful. Her long white gown was woven with silver and gold strands. Diamonds glittered from her wrists and neck so that she seemed to sparkle in the sunlight streaming in from the windows. Underneath a thin veil her light brown hair was done up in an elaborate bun.

The crowd _ooh'_d and_ aah'_d when they saw her. William seemed unable to breathe as he took in her divine form, his eyes full of both wistful admiration and pain. Arthur felt a pang of sympathy for the boy, knowing how hard it must be to see his beloved marrying another man, even though he knew that her heart truly belonged to him.

Arthur's eyes flickered to Merlin, who had one eyebrow quirked high.

As Princess Arabella approached the altar, her eyes moved from Arthur to her father, standing at the front of the room beside Uther, wearing identical proud smiles. Vladimir gave his daughter a small nod of approval as she passed.

She reached the front of the room and turned to face the prince. As he lifted her veil he did his best to fill his eyes with as much affection as he could. Arabella did the same, both doing their best to make their love convincing. The pair joined hands and the ceremony began.

"Dearly beloved," said the vicar, "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of the two young royals, prince Arthur Pendragon, son of King Uther, and princess Arabella Theroulde, daughter of King Vladimir. In this sacred bond they are tied together forever with love, trust, and faith. Their unity not only brings the two together, but also their kingdoms. This marriage signifies a new beginning of peace and alliance. Their love is an inspiration to us all, and may the people follow it in all our endeavors..."

Arthur tuned out his words, choosing instead to let his gaze wander over to where Merlin stood, wearing a pained smile. When Arthur had explained to him his plan, he had protested, insisting that it would never work. They argued, Merlin not wanting his prince to marry someone else and worried that they might get caught. Arthur reminded him that if he had his way he would marry Merlin in a heartbeat, but it was out of his hands, so this was the closest they could get to being together. He tried to convince his servant that it was a good deal. The two wouldn't have to sneak around as much if they didn't have to hide from Arthur's wife. Merlin had internalized his reservations, knowing Arthur was right.

Merlin returned Arthur's small half-smile and the prince moved his eyes back to those of his bride's. The genealogist droned on about love and unity and nobility, and Arthur suppressed a yawn.

"Arthur Pendragon, is it your wish to take Arabella Theroulde as your wife, now and for eternity?"

Arthur swallowed, his eyes flickering to Merlin's for a fraction of a second before saying as steadily as he could, "It is."

"And Arabella Theroulde, is it your wish to take Arthur Pendragon as your husband, now until your death?"

"It is." There was a short silence after Arabella spoke, her voice echoing around the throne room.

"Then by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife."

Arthur hesitated. He knew kissing was part of the deal, but he hadn't liked to think about it. Kissing wasn't such a bad thing, but he recoiled at the thought of embracing somebody who wasn't Merlin. His breath hitched and he froze, staring wide eyed at his new wife.

Arabella seemed to understand what was going through his mind. She tutted and leaned in, pressing their lips together in a short, chaste kiss. Arthur felt his neck and ears turn red.

She pulled away and trumpets began to blast music. Cheers erupted from the people and the pair linked arms to walk back down the aisle. Arthur and Arabella both looked at their true loves, applauding with all the rest, sporting the smallest of smiles. The prince and princess walked down the hall and from the room, followed by the spectators, and they made their way to the dining hall to have their celebratory wedding feast.

Arthur and Arabella exchanged glances as behind them they heard the joyful voices of the people.

"Long live Arthur and Arabella Pendragon! The prince and princess of Camelot!"

* * *

At the feast, Arthur and Arabella sat side by side at the head of the table, looking on at the spectacle. Night had fallen, and the room was bathed in the yellow glow of a thousand flickering candles. The tables were laden with food- plates piled high with vegetables, bread, and meat roasted in garlic, simmering in hot broth and herbs. Silver goblets were filled with the finest wine Camelot could offer. Lords and ladies surrounded the table chatting and filling the room with happy laughter.

Servants lined the walls, rushing forward to fill goblets then stepping back to blend into the shadows. Merlin stood among them He caught Arthur's eye and grinned. Despite his reservations about the plan, he had to admit that it was a good party.

At the head of the table, Uther stood from where he say on the other side of his son. The noise died instantly.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, voice resonating around the room. "Now is the time to say a few words to express my joy on this happy occasion.

"My son has always been a compassionate boy, caring more for his people than for himself. One day I fear his compassion will be the death of him." A laugh from the crowd. "He has always valued loyalty nobility, bravery, and kindness. When Arthur loves, he loves with such an immeasurable passion, and only the most worthy people are given his heart.

"Tonight we are here to celebrate the woman to whom Arthur has given his heart: The lovely princess Arabella." He smiled down at her as he said her name, and she bowed her head humbly. "Words cannot express my pride that my son has chosen such a divine woman as his bride." His smile shifted to Arthur, who returned the smile and reached over to grip Arabella's hand. Uther continued:

"Their unity not only brings together their hearts, but unites their kingdoms. A new alliance has been formed, a bond that shall never be severed. Their wedding marks the beginning of an age of prosperity, between our kingdoms, as I'm sure m dear friend King Vladimir will agree."

Vladimir nodded, grinning and grasping the other forearm of his daughter. "And so I would like to propose a toast, to love everlasting."

He raised his goblet, and the rest followed suit, raising their wine above their heads.

"To love!" They cried. "And to the Prince and Princess!"

The pair smiled as the voices echoed around the hall. Uther resumed his seat, finished with his speech. As the talk continued around them, he turned to Arthur and spoke so that only he could hear him: "I'm proud of you, son."

Arthur stopped short. He knew that his father was proud of him, but it was rare that he would voice those feelings aloud. For a moment he was at a loss for words, then he regained his composure and said,

"Thank you, father."

He turned away, guilt creeping at his stomach.

This marriage with Arabella made his father so happy, but it was all a lie. His fierce pride in his son was misguided, completely taken in by Arthur and Arabella's deceit. Part of him was glad that he and the princess were putting on such a convincing show, the other was guilty about the illusion.

He looked back to the wall to see Merlin slip quietly from the room to prepare his and Arabella's "wedding chambers." he gave an inward shudder and reminded himself why he was going through with all of this: For Merlin, his _true_ love.

* * *

Merlin entered the wedding chambers and closed the door behind him. The room was filled with the scent of a hundred flowers, bursting from vases, blooming from windows, and winding up the posts of the enormous bridal bed.

He directed his attention to the person sitting at the table and pulled up a chair to join him.

"The feast's almost over, so they'll be up soon," He said to William.

"I'll just be glad when this whole ordeal is over," The stable boy replied.

"Who knows when that will be, seeing as this is a lifelong marriage," Merlin pointed out.

"I know. I don't like it," William sighed.

"Neither do I," Merlin agreed. "We have to watch Arthur and Arabella pretend to love each other instead of us, and if the kings find out they'll have us killed on the spot."

"Less sneaking around though," William said wearily. "Bella did look beautiful tonight." He added, somewhat dreamily.

Merlin nodded. All night he hadn't been able to stop thinking of the plan to deceive the kingdom, and of when Arthur had told him of it.

He and the princess had rode back from the woods looking happier than ever, and for a terrifying moment Merlin thought his prince had actually fallen in love with her. He fled to his chambers, heart threatening to crumble. Then Arthur had burst in with a wild look in his eye, and before Merlin could say a word, he was taken into the most passionate kiss his prince had ever given him.

Leaning their foreheads together, Arthur had breathlessly told him that he had found a way for them to be together while still uniting the two kingdoms as his father wished.

Merlin was brought back to the present as the doors to the wedding chambers opened and Arthur and Arabella entered, arms slung around each other, waving away a gaggle of well wishers. The moment the doors obscured them from view, their arms dropped to their sides and they moved away from each other.

"Bella!" William greeted, and ran to embrace her.

"That," Said Arthur, flopping into a chair, "Was one long party."

"Fun though," Said Merlin, pouring a goblet of water and handing it to him.

"What are you talking about, it was just the same as ever other party we have, only this time I had to pretend to be in love."

"But you are in love, aren't you?" Said Arabella as she and William broke apart and took their seats at the small table. "Just not with me?"

"Yes, and that is exactly what made it so long. I honestly don't know if I'll be able to keep this up."

"Only until you're king, then you can reveal the big secret," Said Merlin, passing more goblets to the others. "Right?"

"Let's hope so," Arthur murmured. "I don't think I'd be able to take this forever."

"You will be able to, right?" said William doubtfully.

"Well," started the prince, "The penalty for adultery in the royal family has always been death, and traditions like that are hard to break..."

"But nobody's cheating," Said William. "We all know exactly what's going on here, nobody will have to die. You can have Merlin and I can be with Bella, no more sneaking around."

"But the people will be pushing for punishment. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't take kindly to being deceived like this. There's no easy way out."

"Maybe we shouldn't have done this," Merlin said nervously.

"Stop it," Said Arabella. "It's too late now, and this is a better deal than you could have hoped for. Our kingdoms are allied, our fathers are happy, and we don't have to endure being apart from the one we really love. All it takes is a little lie and a convincing show for the public, I'd say that's pretty good."

"But what if we get caught?" Said Merlin. "If either of us gets found out, William or I will be killed and Arthur and you will be disgraced forever!"

"Oh Merlin, there's an easy solution to that," Said Arthur. "We simply don't get caught."

* * *

The couples stayed to talk for only enough time to drain their goblets. Then the servants bid the others goodnight and went to their quarters. Arthur, being he gentleman, retired to the room's servant's chambers that had been made up to fit a prince, leaving Arabella to sleep in the wedding bed alone.

The next morning the prince and princess emerged from the castle as a newly wed couple. After waving away the adoring public, they mounted their horses and rode into the woods, the prince's manservant and the princess' stable boy riding a respectful distance behind.

Once they were well away from the city, they came to a fork in the road. The four stopped, the royals in front, the servants behind.

"Well, I had my servant pack a picnic, that I would quite like to enjoy down by that lake." Arabella twisted to wink at William.

"We meet here at noon," Said Arthur. Arabella nodded and and kicked her horse, and she and William rode down the left fork side by side.

"That means we go right, Merlin, come on." Arthur and Merlin took off in the other direction. They rode until they came to a clearing on the top of a hill overlooking the country.

It was a clearing they had visited many times before, it being one of the few places far enough from prying eyes to be together peacefully. It was wide and grassy, surrounded in a ring of lush trees. The sea of tall green blades was interrupted by splashes of brilliant blues, purples, and yellows shining in the brilliant golden sunlight.

"Alone at last!" Arthur proclaimed, jumping off of his horse. As soon as Merlin clumsily dismounted his, he was pulled into a kiss.

Arthur's arms snaked around his waist, and Merlin's hands reached up to tangle in his golden hair. They stood like that, holding each other, before Merlin grinned against his lips and they broke apart, breathing each other in.

They sat in the grass, arms still around each other, and they brought their lips together again, mouths gently working together.

They pulled apart and lay down in the soft grass, Merlin's head resting on his lover's chest. He allowed his eyes to flutter closed and inhaled Arthur's scent deeply. The prince gave a contented sigh.

"I told you this would be great," he said. "My father is happy, my people are happy, and we get the whole morning to ourselves. Life is good, isn't it?" Merlin hummed in response. "I never thought something like this would happen," Arthur continued. "I almost can't believe my luck. It's almost too good to be true." Merlin was silent, and Arthur frowned. "Don't you agree?"

When his servant still said nothing, he asked again, "Don't you?"

"Well," Said Merlin after a beat, "It's not as though too much has really changed."

"What do you mean?"

"You're still a prat, for starters."

"Merlin," Said Arthur, shifting to sit up. "What's wrong? I thought you would be happy with this."

Merlin stared at him, chewing on his lip nervously. Arthur watched him with concern.

"We still have to sneak around," He said finally. "Only now if we get caught, not only will we get in trouble for being in a relationship, it's adultery."

"It isn't adultery, though," Arthur replied. "Any other wife would get angry were we to get caught, but Arabella is off having her own affair. This whole thing was her idea in the first place."

"But the people don't know that!" Merlin exclaimed. "Uther doesn't know that, Vladimir doesn't know that! I'd be killed for adultery! If you try and explain the plan you'll probably be disowned, or he'll think you've been enchanted!" Of course, Merlin was a sorcerer, but Arthur didn't need to know that, not now. One day Merlin would tell him.

"Merlin, stop worrying!" Arthur said. Looking at the others wide, terrified eyes, he could tell just how much this was troubling him. He reached out to gently caress Merlin's cheek with the back of his finger.  
"I won't let that happen," He said softly. "If you were ever sentenced to death for any reason, I would get you out. Even if that means risking my life or title, I would save you, that's a promise."

Blue stared into blue, and Merlin knew that he was telling the truth. "I would do the same for you."

Arthur leaned in and lightly brushed Merlin's lips with his own.

"I know you would."

Merlin cast his eyes down, not verbalizing just how many times he had done so. Arthur pulled back.

"So is everything alright?" Merlin nodded. "Good." Arthur smiled fondly. "See? Everything's fine, idiot."

"Prat."

The prince shook his head and brought their lips together once more.

* * *

**To be continued! **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: So it appears that I procrastinate on writing fics by writing other fics. I suppose that's a good problem to have though. Anyways, here's chapter three! I'm a little curious, what do you think of King Vladimir's character? If you could let me know when you've finished this chapter that would be great, thank you! Again, reviews are much welcome! :)**

* * *

The morning was bright and clear in the market square, which was alive with people bustling about, vendors boasting the quality of their products, customers bargaining prices, and friends calling out to each other joyfully. Children weaved in and out of the crowd, playing and chasing one another. Camelot's prince and princess strolled through the market, arm in arm, the prince's servant trailing behind them. They waved to the passersby, flashing smiles and making a show of squeezing each others hands. A portly florist appeared, brandishing a bouquet of bright lavender flowers.

"Such a beautiful couple!" he exclaimed with a smile, "How about a nice bunch of fresh flowers for the lovely prince and princess of Camelot?"

"Ah, thank you!" Arthur said, plucking one from the rest and sticking it behind his wife's ear. She giggled as the petals lightly brushed her face. They thanked the florist, Arthur pressing a silver coin into his palm and continued on, admiring the scene around them. The sunlight made the market appear to be made of gold, and bright colorful pieces of cloth fluttered in the light breeze, adding their brilliant hue to the picture.

"Look," a child whispered to her friend as the royal couple passed, "There's the prince and princess! Look how beautiful they are!"

"Her hair is so pretty," The other sighed, "No wonder Prince Arthur loves her so much."

"One day that will be me!" The first proclaimed. "Arthur and Arabella will have a son, and he will marry me and then I will be Camelot's princess!"

Arabella smiled down at the two girls as she passed them, and they fell silent in awe. She gave them a slight wave which they returned enthusiastically. Arthur chuckled.

"You seem to get on very well with kids," He commented.

"Yes," she said, "I've always been trained with them in preparation for my own children someday. Looks like I'm going to have a son that will marry a commoner."

"Wouldn't that be an abomination!" Arthur said, feigning horror.

"The worst fate that could ever befall royalty, to consort with a _peasant." _She made a face and Arthur laughed.

"We can't have our son doing that," he said lightly. "What should we name this mad boy?"

"Bartley," The princess said at once, "After my grandfather."

"What?" Arthur exclaimed. "Bartley? That's not a name for any son of mine! A Pendragon needs a name that will strike fear into the hearts of his enemies and evoke respect from his subjects."

"So what would you name him, then?" Arabella prompted him. He thought for a moment and said,

"Terrowin."

Arabella gave a shout of laughter. "Terrowin!" She cried. "What kind of a name is that?"

"It's the name of a warrior!" he said. "Only fitting!"

"That is the most ridiculous name I have ever heard!" She hooted. "Besides, my son won't be a warrior, don't forget he's a Theroulde as well as a Pendragon. He will be a sweet, kindly boy who will grow to be a caring man. "

"That way he won't get respect. He can be kind, but he must be strong. Terrowin is perfect."

Arabella rolled her eyes. "You're mad."

Behind them there was a small cough and Arthur turned and made a face at his manservant before returning to the princess. "It's only fitting."

"Whatever you say," She said exasperatedly. "Why don't we return to the castle, shouldn't it be around lunchtime by now?"

"Of course," Agreed Arthur, and they turned to head back the other way. In the distance they caught sight of William standing outside the stables, holding the reigns to two horses in his hands.

"On second thought," Said Arabella, "I think I'll go for a ride. I'll see you later, Arthur." She dropped his arm and picked up her skirts to rush to the stables, smiling brilliantly at her love. Arthur waved after her.

"Looks like it's just us for the morning then, peasant," he said, nudging Merlin playfully. The servant gave a small smile. "Come on," said the prince, "Let's go back to my chambers, shall we?"

Merlin nodded, but remained silent. The two made their way into the castle and into an empty corridor. Merlin said nothing during the short journey, and Arthur frowned. "Merlin, is there something wrong?"

"No," He said quickly. "Everything's fine."

"No, it isn't," Said Arthur. "I know that look. You're quiet and you keep staring straight ahead. You're sulking for some reason, what is it?"

Merlin sighed. "It's just...well...it's nothing, really."

"Merlin, if you don't tell me I'll make you wash my socks again. Out with it."

"Well, it's...you and Arabella seem...friendly," Merlin said quietly. Arthur blinked.

"Friendly?" he repeated. Merlin nodded and met his eyes. Arthur stared, then let out a shout of laughter.

"Oh, Merlin, don't tell me you're actually _jealous!" _he exclaimed. Merlin just shifted uncomfortably, and a giggle escaped from Arthur's lips, which grew to a chuckle. Soon he was doubled over where he stood, clutching his stomach, roaring with laughter.

"You're- jealous!" he choked out, tears of mirth running down his face. Merlin scowled.

"You were discussing baby names!" he said defensively. "She's your wife, of course I'm on edge!"

Arthur straightened up and cleared his throat, his sides aching. He reached up and threw an arm around his servant "It's a hoax, Merlin, that's the whole _point!_" he chuckled, pressing a kiss to the side of his lover's head. "You know who my heart really belongs to, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Merlin grumbled. "But I can't be too careful, right? I mean, she is a princess and she is beautiful, and she _is_ already married to you. How am I to know you won't chase after her after all?"

"You know that would never happen," Arthur smiled into the others' hair. "Arabella's a friend, but it's all an act. I have to put on a show for the public, don't I? I promise it will only be you, always."

Merlin grinned. "I know," he said, turning his head so that their noses brushed lightly. "You're just a hell of an actor when you want to be."

They leaned in to brush their lips together, but the sound of echoing footsteps interrupted the moment. The two jumped apart hastily and turned to see King Vladimir rounding the corner. Both men felt the blood drain from their faces. Vladimir paused at their distraught forms, glancing from one to the other, then gave a slight shrug.

"Arthur!" The king greeted, smiling widely. "Having a nice morning?"

"Y-yes sire," Arthur stammered, breathing a silent sigh of relief that the king hadn't noticed. Merlin took a hast step away from him.

"It is lovely. Where's Arabella?"

"She went for a ride on her own in the woods." Arthur replied. Vladimir nodded.

"She was never one for bustling city life," he said. "Luckily this gives me an opportunity to talk to you in private. In all the time I've been here I haven't had much of a chance to really speak with the man my daughter has married. Care to take a walk?" He gestured around him.

"I would be honored," Arthur said. "Merlin, my armor needs polishing, go occupy yourself with that." He waved his servant away. Merlin bowed and retreated.

"You and your servant seem very close," Vladimir commented when he was gone, watching him go.

Arthur cleared his throat. "He's been my servant for some time now, I feel I can trust him."

Vladimir nodded. "You treat him as a friend then, do you?"

"Somewhat, yes. He's a bit clumsy but he gets the job done," He scratched his neck, suddenly finding the corridor very hot.

"I admire that. You can always tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his servants. Shall we walk?" The king said, starting down the corridor, with Arthur at his side.

"Camelot is indeed beautiful," He said. "I shall be sad to leave it. My castle is nice, yes, but it is nothing compared to the divinity of this country. I should like to stay for a very long time before returning."

"You are welcome to stay as long as you wish, sire. Our doors are open to you," Arthur said.

"I plan to stay for quite some time before saying goodbye to Arabella." The king said. The two walked down the corridor, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls.

"So," he said. "How are you finding married life to my Bella? Everything you expected it would be?"

Arthur cleared his throat. "It's perfect bliss, sire."

Vladimir chuckled. "I'm glad you feel that way. I know this marriage wasn't entirely your choice, but you and Bella seem to be getting on quite well. I remember when I was pushed into a marriage, I didn't like the girl at all. We hated each other, in fact. But after a time we gave each other a chance, and fell in such deep love that nothing could ever tear us apart." he looked down at the prince. "Surely you had some reservations about this whole thing?"

"Well," Arthur began, "I admit, I was apprehensive. I have had many princesses lined up for my hand, but all have been nothing more than a pretty face. After talking to Arabella I could see that there was much more to her than her beauty. She values kindness, bravery, and loyalty, just as I do. After that first day I knew she was right for me."

"Many have felt that way," Vladimir agreed. "You seem like a fine husband for my daughter, I'm very glad you two have gotten on so well."

"As am I," Said Arthur truthfully.

"It only makes sense that you chose each other," The king said. "Has she told you much of her life back home?" Arthur shook his head. "Perhaps you have more in common than you think, then. Bella lost her mother many years ago, in circumstances that were...traumatic. I was left to raise her on my own, as did your father, as I understand. Perhaps that is why you and Bella were so drawn together, as you both grew up without that crucial missing link."

Arthur hummed his agreement. "It must have been hard to raise children without a partner, but I think my father did a good job, and you obviously must have."

"I had to. With my wife's dying breaths she made me promise to care for our darling daughter, and I kept that vow. I made sure to raise her to be the perfect princess she is today. I am so proud of her, just as your father is proud of you. It is only fitting that the two of you marry."

"I love her dearly," Said Arthur. "She is a wonderful partner, you have every reason to be proud of her."

"True words," Said Vladimir. "You're a smart young man indeed, Arthur. Few are so worthy of my daughter's hand. I wish you two a lifetime of happiness together. But know this." His face darkened somewhat, taking on a more serious look. "My daughter is very dear to me, but I cannot protect her forever. I will be leaving Camelot in a few weeks without her, and when that happens, as her husband, you will be fully responsible for her. If any harm comes to her, any at all, whether it be her body or her heart, it will be on your head. Do you understand me?"

Arthur's eyes widened. What if he already suspected the lie? "Of course, sire, I understand completely," He confirmed, voice shaking slightly. "I assure you, Arabella is in good hands here in Camelot."

The king nodded, regarding his son-in-law closely, then he smiled again. "Good!" he exclaimed. "I have no doubt that my daughter will have a happy life here. Thank you, Arthur."

"My pleasure," The prince said. During their discussion they had made their way to the training field, where the knights were busy practicing sword work.

"It seems you have duties to attend to," Said Vladimir, looking closely at the working men. "I won't keep you from your training." He extended his hand and Arthur shook it once. "It was good to get to know you, Arthur. I hope to speak with you much more before my departure."

"Looking forward to it," Arthur replied. The king bowed curtly and swept away, walking briskly off. The prince looked after him, trembling slightly after the brief conversation with the man he was lying through his teeth to. He turned and walked the other way to his chambers, where Merlin was no doubt waiting for him.

* * *

"Keep up!" Arabella called over her shoulder at the three men riding behind her.

"You're going too fast!" yelled Merlin, grasping the reins for dear life. The princess only laughed and kicked her horse to go faster.

"Our horses can't keep up! Arabella wait!" Arthur yelled, but she had already disappeared down the path. He urged his horse onwards and William rode up beside him.

"I wouldn't bother trying to catch up," he said. "She's been riding ever since she was a girl. Every morning she would ride out and stay gone for hours. She'll stop and wait for us at some point."

They slowed their horses to a trot. "She was always drawn to the horses," William explained. "She would come to the stables and ask all kinds of questions, about the different types, their grooming, their care, everything. She would sometimes go and sit there for hours, just talking and looking at them. I taught her how to properly care for them, and after that it was hard to part her from the animals. She even had an entire field behind the castle sectioned off so that they could roam more freely instead of cooped up in wooden stalls all day."

"Perhaps we should do that here," Arthur considered, "It would be better for the horses, wouldn't it?"

"It would stink less," Merlin mused.

"Come on Merlin, mucking out the stables can't be that bad," Arthur said. Both the other men scoffed.

"Like you would know!" Merlin exclaimed. "You always make me do it!"

"Try spending your entire life in the stables and see how fond you are of horse dung after a while." William added.

"Oh quit complaining you two, it's just a little bit of-" Arthur's retort was cut off by an ear-piercing shriek, accompanied by the roars of at least a dozen men. The three's heads snapped down the trail.

"Bella!" William cried, and sped off in the direction of her scream.

"Bandits," Arthur muttered, and he and Merlin rushed after him.

They found them on the trail, one of the men holding a knife to a struggling Arabella, her hands pulling feebly at the strong hands holding her prisoner. William was already off of his horse, fiercely battling his way to her. He had knocked one bandit to the ground and pulled a large knife from his belt, and now he used it to slash at the oncoming men.

Arthur leaped from his horse to fight as well. He unsheathed his sword and rushed to William's aid, fighting side by side against the hairy, muscular men. Merlin dismounted his horse as well, surveying the scene. He had no weapon, but he watched wildly for a chance to help.

Two of the bandits went flying to the ground in a spray of blood and teeth, leaving three to fight. Arthur swung at one of them, slashing his chest and he fell backwards, grasping his wound. William landed a punch to the another, bringing one fist to collide with his jaw and the other to sink his knife into his gut, sending him down as well. The final one advanced on William, fists at the ready, and before either could throw a punch, a sword erupted from his stomach. The man looked down confused, before it was wrenched from his body and he fell to reveal Arthur standing behind him. Both fighters looked each other in the eye, breathing heavily. Then Arthur whirled around to face the last man holding Arabella, who had backed away considerably during the fight.

"My name is Arthur Pendragon, crown prince of Camelot," he said, wielding his sword and advancing, stepping over the bodies of the fallen. "And that is my wife."

The bandit grinned to show a mouth full of blackened teeth. "I know," he said in a throaty voice, "Which is why I know you'll pay handsomely to keep her safe."

"Unhand her!" William yelled, starting forward determinedly, but the man leered at him.

"Don't come any closer! Not unless you want to see what your pretty princess' throat looks like on the inside..." He brought a hand to Arabella's jaw and wrenched her head to the side, exposing her pale neck and holding his knife closer to it. William froze, eyes fixed on the blade.

"Unhand my wife or face the consequences," Arthur said menacingly.

"Not unless you're willing to bargain for her."

The three men stared each other down, William and Arthur staring at Arabella's captor with loathing.

Suddenly, the handle of the bandit's knife glowed orange with heat, causing him cry out with pain and drop it, holding his scalding hand. Immediately William was on him, pulling Arabella away, while Arthur rushed forward and thrust his sword into his chest.

The man dropped to the ground in a motionless heap. Arabella threw herself into William's arms, burying her face into his neck. He held her softly, trembling slightly. He stared down at the man who had threatened her life with a mixture of malice and relief that he would no longer be a threat.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked her, and she pried her face from her lover's neck to give a shaky nod.

Arthur looked behind him to look at Merlin, staring at him wide-eyed.

"Don't feel like you need to help, Merlin, just stand there and watch the show," he said, shoving past him and swinging himself onto his horse. Merlin glared after him and opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it and mounted his horse as well.

"We need to get back to Camelot and inform the court of this," Arthur said. "Come on."

William and Arabella took their arms from around each other. William helped her onto her horse, taking her hand delicately and squeezing it before going to his own steed.

The four turned and rode back the way they came, leaving the bodies of the bandits behind.

* * *

The door opened and the princess quietly entered the chambers she and Arthur were supposed to be sharing. The prince was there, sitting at a chair by the window, staring out over the city bathed in twilight. He turned around when she came in, closing the door behind her.

"Arabella," he greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"Well I was almost killed today, but otherwise I'm fine," She replied. Arthur gave a short nod.

"I'm glad you're alright."

"I wanted to thank you," She said, stepping forward to join him at the window. "You saved my life back there."

"William did most of the fighting, to be honest. " Arthur responded.

"Yes, he did, and I've already thanked him," Arabella said.

"He fought well, perhaps I should have him knighted when I'm king," Arthur mused. Arabella gave a small smile.

"He might not like that, he prefers caring for animals than battling enemies. But back to what I was saying, you did much of the fighting too, stabbing my captor. I just wanted to thank you for that."

"Well, I couldn't let you die, we're supposed to be in love."

Arabella pursed her lips. "Just because we aren't really in love doesn't mean we can't be friends," She said. Arthur's head snapped around.

"I didn't say that!" he exclaimed. "Of course we can be friends!"

"Good," She said, raising an eyebrow and smiling. "I'd like that, to be your friend and Merlin's, too."

Arthur chuckled. "That might not be so easy," he said. "He got a little jealous the other day."

"He was jealous?" She laughed. "Is he blind?"

"He's just worried," Said Arthur, amused. "He'll get over it."

"He'd better, this is a pretty long-term arrangement."

The two laughed to for a bit, then the conversation lapsed into silence. It didn't last long, for the door opened again and they turned to see King Vladimir striding in. He saw the couple standing by the darkening window and gave a soft smile.

"Comforting each other?" He commented, and they nodded. "Your ordeal today must have been so frightening. I know I was extremely worried when I heard of it."

"It was indeed scary, father," Said Arabella. "I'm only glad I got out of there alive."

"It pains me to think I'll be leaving you in such a dangerous place," Vladimir said, giving Arthur a meaningful look.

"Camelot is completely safe, most of the time," Arthur reassured him. "And even if new dangers present themselves, I will do everything in my power to protect Arabella."

Vladimir nodded deeply. "I know you will, you demonstrated that today, and I am eternally grateful."

"It wasn't all Arthur," Arabella said, reaching out to take his hand. "My stable boy helped fend off the attackers."

"He shall be honored," Said the king vaguely, missing the slight twitch of his daughter's mouth. "I won't keep you for long, I only wanted to thank you, Arthur, for saving her life. I don't know what I would have done if anything were to happen to my daughter. She's all I have in this world." He gave her a warm smile which she returned sweetly.

"I gave you my word that I would protect her with my life," Arthur said, earning him a smile from the king.

"I'll sleep well tonight knowing she is safe here. And now I'll excuse myself and let you get some rest after your ordeal." The couple each gave him a short bow and he turned to stride from the room.

"Your father loves you very much," Arthur commented, looking after him.

"He does," She agreed. "But he can be very protective. After my mother died he was so heartbroken, he didn't want to lose me as well."

"Your mother," Arthur said. "Vladimir said her death was traumatic."

Arabella nodded solemnly. "I don't remember it well," she said softly. "I was only seven. It happened right in front of me."

"What happened?" Arthur asked. Arabella was silent for a moment before answering.

"There was an attack on our castle, thieves looking for food and fortune in the dead of winter. I was hidden in the stables, but my father went out to fight them and my mother followed, afraid he was going to be killed. There was a fight, right outside from where I was standing. One of the attackers had knocked my father's sword from his hand and was about to kill him, when my mother threw herself in front of him and she was slain instead."

Arthur stared in shocked silence. Arabella continued:

"The thieves ran when she fell, knowing it was all over for them. I watched from the stables. I remember the way she lay in the moonlight, and the way the blood flowed from the gash in her breast, staining the snow. My father fell to his knees beside her and gathered her in his arms, as tenderly as if she were made of porcelain. I saw the way he looked at her. He seemed so afraid, not at all the fearless king he appeared to be. She died before he could move her."

She fell into a solemn silence. "I'm sorry," Arthur said quietly. The princess nodded.

"He was shattered over her death. He was never quite the same. I didn't understand why he didn't want to go riding with me. I remember we used to go riding in the meadows beyond our castle, father, mother, and I. It was nice then. It was like we weren't royalty, we were a family just like everyone else." She looked down at her hands. Night was quickly settling now, the light diminishing. "I have this one memory of the three of us on the banks of a creek. My father picked a bunch of flowers and gave them to my mother, and she took them and showed me how to make a chain with them. She took off my crown and replaced it with them. How happy we were together, all I have are memories now."

"I don't even have memories," Arthur said. "My mother died giving birth to me, I never even knew her."

"I'm sorry," Arabella said softly, looking up at him. "Uther seems like a good enough man, but it must have been hard to be raised by him."

"He has been cold in the past," the prince admitted. "I was raised a bit of a prat, to be honest. I took being a prince for granted, until I met Merlin and he helped me to become a better person."

"William was my friend from the beginning," Arabella said. "He was there for me when my mother died. While I was coping he told me about the horses, showing me all about how to care for them. It didn't take long for us to fall in love. I was sixteen and he was eighteen..." She trailed off. "It was hard at first, sneaking around with him. But we grew accustomed to it, I mean you know, with Merlin."

"Yes," he said. "We haven't been together as long as you, but I do know how hard it can be. We have come very close to being caught, actually, your father almost found us just the other day."

Arabella's head snapped up to look at him, wide eyed. "He _what_?"

"He almost caught us, but he didn't," Arthur said hurriedly. "We jumped apart in time."

"You mean to say he's suspicious," the princess demanded.

"I- well he might be..."

"How could you let this happen?" Arabella nearly shrieked. "If my father were to find out this whole plan will fall to ruin!"

"I know!" Arthur said defensively. "We are well aware of the risks!"

"You have to be more careful!" Arabella warned. "My father is already suspicious of my relationship with William, but he knows we've been friends for a long time. If he even gets a little bit suspicious of you it will all be over!"

"I understand that!" Arthur said, "You don't need to remind me, Arabella."

She closed her mouth and glared at him. "Don't let him catch you, or anyone else for that matter."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Arthur replied. Arabella nodded, satisfied.

"Okay then," she said, turning away from the window. "If that's settled, I'm going to bed, it's been a long day."

"Goodnight," Arthur said, walking towards the door of his side-chamber.

"Goodnight."


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Wow, I actually updated within a week! The people that were visiting finally went home so I was given more time to write, and hopefully now that I'm less busy I'll be able to update more regularily. Also, thank you so much for the kind reviews, they really make my day! :)**

* * *

The sky was covered in dark, sinister clouds, casting the land into shadow. The afternoon sun tried feebly to penetrate the cloud cover with little success. A loud rumbling could be heard close by, signaling a that storm was near. The bright, vibrant colors of Camelot were obscured by the partial darkness, so that the buildings and streets of the city were many shades of cold gray. The streets were more empty than usual, the people taking refuge indoors before the rain began.

Inside a small cafe, three women sat near the door, merrily gossiping amongst each other, holding young children by the hand.

"This storm looks like it's going to be a big one," Said one of them, looking out of the window at the sky. "We'll be soaked for days."

"I swear, if I have to be cooped up in the house with three little ones I'll throw myself to the dogs," said another, shaking her head.

"Nobody likes being stuck inside like this," The other supplied. "Take the prince and princess- they go out nearly every day to ride, imagine how this rain must be for them."

"They'll probably think of something they can do instead, they are husband and wife after all."

"Edith!" Exclaimed the other two, scandalized. They cast guilty looks at their children. One small girl looked up at them.

"What kind of things, mama?" She asked curiously.

"Never you mind, Yria." Said her mother with a chuckle. The other women exchanged amused glances as the small girl pouted.

"Perhaps soon a new member of the royal family will be announced," suggested one of the women named Norma, turning her attention back to her friends.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Said Edith.

"What do you mean?" asked the other, interested.

"Well, Cedrica down at the tavern told me an interesting thing the other day," She said.

"And that is?" prompted her friends. The woman pressed her lips together and shook her head.

"I promised I would not say!"

"Edith, you're teasing us! Out with it!"

Smiling, she leaned in, eager to share her piece of gossip. "Cedrica told me that she thinks there might be an affair in the royal family," She said in an excited whisper. The other women stifled gasps.

"No!" Exclaimed Norma, her jaw dropping. "What else did she say?"

"She said that the princess Arabella seems very close to that stable boy of hers that came with her from her kingdom."

The other woman scoffed. "The stable boy? That's ridiculous, why would any woman shag a stable boy when she has the prince of Camelot at her feet? She's a princess after all, she has dignity."

"Love is a mysterious thing, Minerva," Edith said wisely, pulling on the hand of her daughter to keep her from running off, "Perhaps the stable boy is the man she truly loves."

"That is utter nonsense." Norma sniffed, "The princess enjoys riding, that much has become clear in her time here. Of course she would be close to the boy. But to fall in love? That would be ridiculous, she's married to the prince now!"

"But the marriage was forced!" Edith said defensively. "Why else would the two have gotten married so quickly? Their fathers pushed it upon them! It's as simple as that!"

"But you've seen the couple about since the wedding," Norma rebutted. "They're more in love than two turtle doves. Besides, even if the princess did have some kind of previous relationship, she's a woman of nobility, she would have ended it as soon as the marriage was final."

"I saw them in the market a few weeks ago," Edith's daughter chimed in. "I thought they looked happy."

"I don't think so," Edith said, ignoring the girl. "I think that it would be very easy for her to have an affair."

"But she and Arthur are always together!" Minerva supplied. "Where did Cedrica hear this from?"

"She says she saw them together," Edith said simply. The other two looked at her skeptically.

"Together?" Norma said. "As in, _together_ together?" Edit's girl looked up at them, confused.

"Well, no not exactly," Edith admitted. "Not like that. But she said that nearly every day the princess goes out for a ride in the woods, with or without Arthur, and she always brings the stable lad with her."

"Well of course she does!" Norma said, exasperated. "He needs to help her with her horse, doesn't he? It's his _job_."

"Cedrica said the princess could manage the horses just fine on her own. And don't say she needs protection, if she wanted that she could take one of the guards. No, it's the stable boy she takes every time."

"But she's a girl of nobility, she would never risk getting caught. I know that if I had a prince as my husband I wouldn't be giving a peasant a second glance," Said Minerva thoughtfully. "Perhaps the two decided they could remain friends?"

"It's nonsense," Norma dismissed. "I don't believe there ever was anything between them. Arthur and Arabella love each other dearly, anyone who has seen them together knows that."

"But what if it's an act?" Edith said insistently. "What if the princess is only pretending to love the prince to please her father? Think about it-"

"You are a gullible old goat, Edith." The voice of a man interrupted her theorizing and the three women looked over to see a short, scruffy man standing before them, having ambled over from the table across the room.

"Is that so, Edgar? And I suppose you're such an expert on the royal couple?" The woman said with an annoyed air.

"I don't keep a close eye on them, to behonest. But I do know that Cedrica has a habit of telling tall tales. She once told me that Uther was in love with the florsist's sister." He shook his head. "That woman loves her love stories."

Edith sniffed. "Even if she wasn't telling the complete truth, it makes sense, doesn't it?"

Edgar grinned. "I'm not denying that there isn't an affair in the royal family. It's simply not the princess who is the offender."

The three women looked at him, interested at the prospect of something new to gossip about. "Do tell!" Said Minerva eagerly. Edgar glanced around him and leaned forward, lowering his voice considerably.

"Now you didn't hear this from me, but I have my suspicions that Prince Arthur is in love with one of the servants."

The women gasped. "Which one? Guinevere? They've been seen as friends," Minerva suggested. Edgar shook his head.

"Not Guinevere," he said knowingly. He paused to draw out the suspense for as long as possible, and when the women looked as though they were about to burst, he said dramatically, "His manservant, Merlin."

The three women gaped at him as the news sunk in, then looked at each other and simultaneously burst into laughter.

"Merlin!" Norma hooted, clutching her side. "What an idea!"

"I've heard some outrageous stories in my time, but that is by far the most ridiculous one I've ever heard!" Edith said, gasping for air.

"It could be true! Everyone know the prince keeps his servant close to him-"

"To think that the prince would consort with a man!" Minerva exclaimed, and Edgar shushed her.

"Keep quiet, it's a secret-"

"It's a _story_!" Minerva said. "Who would ever believe such a thing?"

"I would sooner believe Edith's story about the princess! At least that one has some reasoning behind it. That Arthur would be in love with his _man_servant is utterly ridiculous!" Norma said, tears of mirth brimming her eyes.

Edgar straightened dejectedly as the women laughed at him. Even their daughters joined in, falling over themselves in a heap of giggles. He looked down at them irritably.

"I never said it was true, just something I heard," He said gruffly. "If you wanna think it's the princess go right on ahead, it's not true anyways."

The women only continued to laugh. Above them, the sky gave a threatening clap of thunder.

"I should go before it starts storming," Edgar said, and he turned to leave the building, leaving the women cackling behind him.

Outside, tiny droplets of water were beginning to fall. In his rush to get out of the cafe, Edgar ran straight into a dazed figure who had been standing just outside of the door.

"Sorry mate," He mumbled, looking up at the man. He stiffened as he saw who he had run into.

"'S alright," Merlin stammered, quickly stepping away from him. "Uh, it's about to rain pretty hard, I should go..."

"Yeah," Edgar agreed, looking at him guiltily. "Yeah, I should be going too..." He trailed off and awkwardly waved his hand before turning and bolting the other direction.

Merlin stared after him, a feeling of panic stirring in his chest, and as the rain started to fall, he ran to gather his friends.

* * *

"William!" He exclaimed, splashing to a halt in front of the stables, where the man in question was closing the door to shield the horses from the growing rain. "We need to talk."

"What is it, Merlin?" William asked, frowning at the panicked look on the boy's face.

"It's urgent, we need to find Arthur and Arabella, quickly."

"They'll be hiding from this storm, probably in their chambers," William said, stepping out into the coming downpour. "Merlin, what is it?"

"The people have started rumors," Merlin informed him, and William gave him a look of surprise.

"About what?" He asked, scared of the answer.

"About us," Merlin replied, as he started in the direction of the castle, William hurrying at his side. "About you and the princess."

"What are they saying?" William asked.

"I heard these three women talking in the cafe down the road" Merlin said. "They're saying since you and her go riding all the time without Arthur it makes sense."

William cursed under his breath. Thunder crackled above them and lightning flashed fiercely across the sky. The two servants ran faster as the rain came down harder around them, dashing towards the castle. By the time they reached it they were soaked through, water dripping from their hair and clothes. They rushed up the stairs and burst into the royal chambers to see Arthur and Arabella seated at the table talking to each other. They looked up when their beloveds crashed through the door, their faces immediately showing concern at their disheveled state.

"We need to talk to you two," Merlin gasped.

"What's happened?" Asked Arthur, worry showing on his face. The servants approached and took their seats at the small table. Merlin took a deep breath.

"The people are starting to get suspicious," he said. The royals gaped at him.

"What do you mean?" Arabella demanded quickly.

"I heard rumors at the cafe..." Merlin relayed the story of the conversation he had overheard in the city. The other three listened intently, fear creeping onto their faces.

"And then...there was this other man," Merlin said, "Who suspected me and Arthur, but the other women just laughed at him."

"Damned gossip," Arthur cursed. "So the people dismissed the idea of us, but they suspected Arabella and William?" He looked between the two in question, who were exchanging frightened looks.

"The one woman seemed to believe it, but the other two thought it was just a made up story," Merlin said. "Apparently there's a woman somewhere spreading the rumor, and who knows how many people will believe her?"

"Hopefully they won't," William said, doubtful of his own words. "But we need to be more careful."

"Yes," Arabella agreed. "Obviously, we need to throw them off our track. If word of this rumor reaches either of the kings it would end everything."

"We're already so lovey in public!" Arthur protested. "What else do we have to do?"

"They don't doubt our love," Arabella pointed out, "They doubt our faith..."

"You have to start treating us more like servants," William said, and the other three stared in disbelief.

"Arthur already treats me like a slave, and you want him to work me _harder?_" Merlin said. "No way, things should stay exactly the way they are-"

"If Arthur treats you more like a friend than a servant the people will grow more suspicious," William said. "Same goes for us. Bella, I'm sorry, but we won't be able to go for rides any more."

"But that's the only time you and I can truly be alone!" Arabella protested. "If we can't have the rides how are we supposed to be together without a dozen people seeing?"

"I can still visit you here," William suggested. "Or perhaps there's an empty room somewhere in the castle..."

Arabella leaned back in her chair with a defeated sigh. "This plan is becoming more trouble than it's worth..."

"We knew of the risks," Said Arthur. "Look, all we have to do is be a little bit more careful long enough for the people to forget about the rumors, alright? Then things can go back to normal."

"Normal," Merlin echoed, giving a small huff of bitter laughter. "I don't even know what normal is any more."

"Get used to it, Merlin," Arthur said. "This is the way things are going to be for a while."

Merlin sighed in response, and the four lapsed into a bitter silence, listening to the rain pound furiously against the windows, mirroring their dejected mood.

* * *

Many days passed in which the weather seemed to be mimicking the feelings of the castle's inhabitants. The prince and princess spent their days either in the council room with Uther or in their chambers, stuck indoors to avoid the torrential rain. They spent most of their time together and purposefully in view of at least one other person, sitting close and speaking softly, arms always linked. If someone saw them they would smile softly to themselves and carry on their way, allowing the prince and princess their time together. When the person had moved on the two would exchange annoyed glances, both impatiently waiting for when the weather would allow them to ride from the city and temporarily end the irritating facade.

Arthur and Arabella made sure to give as little attention as possible to their servants, and away from prying eyes. William would only go inside the castle in the early mornings, often before anyone else had woken. The princess would be in her chambers waiting for him, and they would share a quick embrace as the sun rose before he slipped from the room and from the castle to the inn to drink and talk to the locals as they waited out the storm, not to return to Arabella until the following day. When night had dissolved into day and her love had left her, Arabella would take her breakfast in her chambers, sometimes with her husband, sometimes alone.

Arthur only spoke to his manservant to give him orders, often ones that would keep him in one place for a long time, such as scrubbing the floors or polishing his armor. When Merlin brought his and Arabella's breakfast in the mornings he would thank him, something that usually happened rarely, but he did now for it was one of the few gestures of affection he could manage. Their gaze would linger, blue eyes staring into blue, fingers only just brushing, and they would look for a drawn out moment before the servant bowed and exited the room.

After breakfast the prince and princess would leave their chambers together, faces drawn. Arthur would go out to the training fields to work his men, everyone grumbling at being out in the freezing rain. Arabella would watch her husband shout at them under the shelter of a tent, giving the occasional word of encouragement even though only the people who could hear her over the rain were those standing immediately near her. When training was over the princess would help her husband dry off, making a big show to emphasize the fact that she was helping him instead of his servant, who was mysteriously nowhere to be found.

Then Arthur would go to the council room to join his father in court, listening to case after tedious case, sinking lower in his seat as the hours ticked past, wanting nothing more than to be with Merlin. Arabella would drift off to visit with her father, and Vladimir would talk to her for hours about some boring subject, her nodding but not really listening, staring out of the window at the rain in which William was surely stuck in.

After Merlin had finished his list of chores for Arthur, he would go to the Inn to visit with William, where the two would sit at their own table in the corner, telling each other details of their lives and silently wishing they were in the arms of their prince and princess.

When the sun sank behind the horizon and the storm was blanketed in night, the royal couple would reunite and return to their chambers, where they would find Merlin ready to prepare Arthur for bed. He and the prince would bid Arabella goodnight before quietly retiring to Arthur's side-chamber, allowing themselves only a few minutes time alone while Arabella lay in bed, jealous that they were able to spend that much time with each other at all. Merlin would wordlessly slip out of Arthur's chambers and back to his own. The four lovers would fall into their own separate beds, each one falling asleep to the rain and thunder outside, and they would wake up in the morning only to start the day again.

Then one morning the people of Camelot woke to find that the rain had stopped and the clouds had thinned, allowing the sun to finally shine throgh to the damp city below. As the streets dried, the people joyfully threw open their doors and ran outside, rejoicing at the end of the storm.

As the people celebrated, the prince and princess decided to join in the festivities by taking a walk in the lower town. They strolled arm in arm, as always, looking around themselves at the people happily milling about, enjoying the feeling of the sun on their faces after so long stuck indoors.

As the couple walked down a particularily busy street, they stopped when they saw a young girl sitting by the side of the road, looking around herself in confusion. Arabella knelt down in front of her.

"Hello," she said kindly. The girl looked at her in awe. "My name is Arabella, what's yours?"

"Yria!" the girl answered enthusiastically. "I know who you are! You're Arthur's new wife!"

"You're right!" The princess said. "Are you lost, Yria?" She nodded.

"My mother told me to wait outside while she went to the butcher's because she says I'm too young to see so much dead animals but I saw a butterfly and I wanted to catch it to show it to her but it flew away and I chased it but I lost it and now I don't know where I am," the girl said quickly. Arabella smiled.

"Come on," she said, straightening up and offering her hand, "Why don't I take you back to the butchers and find your mother, alright?"

Yria stared at the princess' hand, then up at her, as if doubtful that she was really allowed to touch her.

"Go on, take it," Arabella said, "I won't bite." Yria grinned and grabbed her hand eagerly. Arabella took the arm of her husband on the other side, and the three started in the direction of the butcher's.

"Princess, I have a question," Said Yria, skipping to keep up with Arabella's quick pace.

"What's that?" Asked Arabella.

"What's your stable boy's name?"

Arabella stiffened momentarily and glanced at Arthur for a fraction of a second. "Why do you ask?" She said casually.

"No reason," Said the girl, "I just wanted to know."

"Oh. Well, his name's William," the princess answered.

"That's a nice name. Do you call him Will for short?"

"No," Arabella lied. Yria frowned.

"I thought Will was what you call someone named William if you loved them," She said.

Arabella paused. "I suppose it is sometimes, but I don't love William."

"Really?" Said Yria, stopping to jump over a puddle. "Because mother told me that you do."

"She told you that?" Arthur chimed in from the other side of Arabella.

"Well, she didn't tell me, but I heard her telling it to her friends. She said the princess is in love with her stable boy." Yria looked down at her feet, concentrating hard so that she could step all the way over a rather large collection of water.

The prince and princess looked at each other, eyes wide. "Why would she say that?"

Yria shrugged. "She said someone else told her. Then our neighbor Edgar said that it was more likely that the prince was in love with his servant, but mother said that was the stupidest thing she ever heard."

"Well," Said Arabella, voice shaking slightly. "Tell your mother that Arthur and I are perfectly in love and neither of us are with anyone else. Whoever told her that was lying."

"Okay," Said Yria simply. Arabella turned her head to look at Arthur incredulously.

They arrived at the butcher's shop where a portly woman was standing, looking around and holding a bloodstained bag. When she saw the three people approaching her, she smiled and rushed over.

"Yria! There you are, I've been looking all over for you!" Her daughter let go of the princess' hand and ran over to take that of her mother's. "I told you to wait outside."

"I did!" Yria said defensively. "But then I saw a butterfly and I really wanted to catch it to show it to you! And then guess what?"

"What?"

"I found the prince and princess and they took me back here!"

"Really?" The mother looked up to see the couple staring at her and exclaimed in surprise.

"Oh, my lord, my lady!" She said, dropping her head into a bow. "Thank you so much for finding Yria!"

"It was no trouble," Arthur said. The woman looked up.

"Mama, guess what?" Yria said, tugging on her mother's hand.

"What is it?" She asked tiredly.

"While we were walking Arabella said to tell you something!"

"Oh really?" She asked, eyebrows shooting up, and she looked at the couple in confusion. "What did she say?"

"She said that they are perfectly in love and neither of them are with anyone else and whoever told you that was lying," Yria said excitedly. Her mother's face bloomed bright red.

"Told me what?" she squeaked.

"That I am having an affair with my stable boy," Arabella supplied, pursing her lips.

"Oh! That! That was just a story told to me, it wasn't meant to be taken seriously, but you know how children can be, always taking stories and thinking there's truth to them-"

"What's your name?" Arthur asked, interrupting her babbling.

"Edith, my lord," She answered timidly.

"Well, Edith," Said Arthur, "In the future you would take care not to feed such ridiculous stories to your child, especially one such as this that can start a rumor. It would be dangerous if my father were to hear that and be told it was the truth."

"Y-yes, my lord," Edith stammered. "Of course, you have my most sincere apoligies, such stories won't be told again, my lord."

"Good," Arthur said, smiling. "Then our work is done here. Arabella, shall we?"

The princess nodded and smiled down at Yria, who was now dangling off her mother's arm and reaching for a rock on the ground. She looked up to wave energetically at Arabella. Edith bowed her head in respect and the couple went on their way.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I'm surprised I wrote this one so quickly! The story should wrap up in either the next chapter or the one after that, and when it's finished I'm not sure if there will be an epilogue, I haven't decided yet. Anyways, here's chapter five, enjoy! Again, reviews are very much appreciated! :)**

* * *

The clouds of the previous week had cleared, leaving the sky clear and blue. A cool breeze swept through the land, gently ruffling the leaves on the trees and chilling the air. The first rays of sun broke over the horizon, setting the landscape alight in flames of gold. As the night receded into day, the city of Camelot began to stir, the early risers moving about sleepily in the quiet stillness of the morning.

Outside the city gates, two figures were walking on foot into the forest. It was still slightly dark under the cover of the trees, so their features were obscured, illuminated only slightly as they trekked in and out of the light streaming through the leaves. They kept their treads light and quiet, looking over their shoulders. When they were sure they weren't being followed, one of them took the other's hand and held him close.

They stopped when they reached a tiny clearing surrounded by a thick grove of trees. It was illuminated by the gap in the vegetation, the early morning sunlight casting long shadows across the ground.

"Arthur, are you sure we'll be safe here?" Merlin whispered, looking around them nervously.

"Nobody ever comes out this way," Arthur answered. "It's perfectly obscure." He turned to catch Merlin in his arms, pulling him close and brought their lips together, kissing the worries from his lover's mind.

"I don't see why we couldn't just do this in your chambers," Merlin said when they broke apart. "It would be a lot safer."

"Because Arabella and William were there, and you can imagine how awkward that would be," The prince answered, giving him another kiss.

"But we're out in the open here!" Merlin protested. "Anyone could just walk in here and catch us-" He was silenced by Arthur's lips.

"This is hardly out in the open," Arthur grinned against his lips. "The trees here are so thick that only somebody standing right next to us would be able to see, and nobody comes this way anyways, not unless they're very lost."

Merlin smiled and wound his arms around Arthur's shoulders. "Then in that case..." they kissed, Arthur with his hands on Merlin's hips, Merlin rubbing small circles on his love's neck. Their lips moved in practised sync with one another, their eyes drifting shut, minds swirling. Merlin moved his hands to cup his prince's jaw, and Arthur stepped forward, moving them both until he had Merlin's back pressed against the rough bark of a tree.

"We can't stay long," Arthur breathed, eyes still shut. "We have to be back soon..."

Merlin only gave a brief nod before pulling Arthur to him again. They kissed in that way as the sun crept up on them, bathing the couple in soft orange light. In the distance the sounds of the waking city could be heard, but neither were paying much attention to anything but each other, the feel of the other's lips and hands and the sound of their breathing.

Then they heard a sound that wasn't made by them. The sharp snap of a twig tore them from their little world and they turned to see a little girl standing just inside the clearing, staring at the two with wide eyes. Arthur and Merlin jumped apart hastily, looking at the girl in horror. She cocked her head to the side.

"What are you doing?" She asked curiously. Instead of answering, Arthur peered at her.

"I know you," He said, pointing a finger at her. "You're that little girl in the market a few days ago, aren't you? What was your name?"

"Yria!" She answered.

"What are you doing out here on your own, Yria?" Arthur said in an attempt to change the subject.

"Robert from school told me that if you go into the woods at sunrise you can see the star fairies before they disappear but my mother wouldn't come with me so I had to sneak away to come alone." She said in a rush.

"There aren't any star fairies out here. You shouldn't be here on your own anyways," Arthur said in a disapproving voice. "It's dangerous out here."

"You're out here," Yria said defensively. "What were you doing, Prince?" she asked again.

"What was I doing?" He repeated. "I wasn't doing anything!"

"Yes you were! You were kissing!" She accused, pointing a gleeful finger between the two of them.

Arthur and Merlin gaped at her in horror. "What? No, no we weren't-"

"Edgar was right!" Yria said smugly. "The prince is in love with his servant!"

"No, no he isn't." Merlin protested, shaking his head. "We were out here because...we came into the woods to..."

"We came here for a hunt," Arthur supplied, and Merlin nodded in agreement. "Animals are easiest to catch during sunrise, so that's why we came out here."

The little girl was not to be swayed. "You're lying. I _saw_ you," She said. "You were kissing!" She wrinkled her nose at the thought and let out a small giggle. Arthur sighed exasperatedly and looked to Merlin for help, who gave a panicked shrug.

"Wait till I tell mother!" Yria exclaimed excitedly, and turned to run back to the city, but Arthur strode forward and caught her by the arm.

"I don't think you should do that," He said hurriedly.

"Why not?" Yria asked, confused. Merlin approached to stand by them and Arthur cast him a helpless look before kneeling so that he and the girl were looking eye to eye.

"Because it would be very bad if anyone knew about this," The prince said, staring intently at her. "It is very important that you keep this a secret, understand?"

"But why?" she asked.

"Because if you do, bad things would happen," Merlin said, kneeling as well.

"What kind of bad things?"

"Very bad things," Merlin replied. "It would be bad for me, for the prince, and for the princess."

"Ohhh," Said Yria, understanding dawning on her face. "Because the princess would be mad, right?"

"Right!" Merlin said. "So do you promise not to tell?"

"Okay, I promise!" She said, nodding her head excitedly.

"Good," Arthur said. "It will be our little secret. Now why don't you go back home, your mother is probably worried about you."

"Okay!" Yria said cheerfully, and she turned and ran back towards the city. Arthur and Merlin watched her go, wearing identical expressions of discomfort.

"She won't tell anyone, will she?" Merlin mumbled.

"Well, you know how trustworthy children are...she outright asked Arabella about William the other day and I was right there with them."

"She'll have forgotten all about it by tomorrow," Merlin reasoned hopefully. Arthur huffed and stood.

"Let's hope so."

* * *

The sun rose and shone down on Uther Pendragon as he stood in the castle steps, looking out over his people before he had to attend to his kingly duties. He watched his people pass by. A baker pulling a cart stacked high with freshly baked bread, a woman holding a basket full of snow-white sheets, a man pulling a horse loaded with hay. Children played with each other, running and giggling and playing games that only children understand.

Uther smiled to himself. The people of Camelot may be poor, but they seemed content enough. In the weeks following his son's marriage, the whole city seemed to be in good spirits. Uther couldn't remember a time when things had gone so smoothly for so long in his kingdom. Usually there was a serious crime of some kind or another that he would have to sort out, which was never too pleasant for anyone involved. But lately the people seemed to be getting on well, as if all were still celebrating the unity of Arthur and Arabella even now, weeks after the marriage.

Uther was happy about that. It had been difficult breaking the news to Arthur that he would be expected to marry the princess, but he knew that it had to be done. Arthur would warm up to her eventually, he had thought to himself, and the kingdoms would be on good terms. He had seen his son's reservations when the princess was introduced to him and ignored the twinge of guilt. He was overjoyed when he saw that the two seemed to be getting on pretty well. He had not expected for Arthur to actually fall in love with her, but he was so glad that he did not question it. He looked at his son with his wife with joy, content knowing that he was happy with her.

Everyone in the kingdom was happy, and Uther was in a rare good mood.

The king felt something collide with his legs and he looked down to see a young child sprawled on the ground, giggling after having barreled into her king.

"Sorry!" she giggled, standing up. "I wasn't watching where I was going!"

"That's quite alright," Uther said. Normally he would have been annoyed at the girl, but his good spirits caused him to be kinder today. "Why are you so distracted?"

"I was thinking," The girl replied.

"About?" the king prompted. The girl shook her head.

"I can't tell," She said. "It's a secret."

"I won't tell anyone," Uther promised. She pressed a finger to her lips.

"Arthur told me I couldn't tell anyone."

"Arthur?" Uther repeated. "As in Prince Arthur?"

The girl nodded. "He said if I told anyone, bad things would happen."

"When did he tell you this?" The king asked.

"Just now, in the woods!" She replied.

"In the woods? Why was Arthur in the woods?"

"I can't say 'cause it's a secret," The girl said.

"You can tell me the secret," Uther said, bending down to better see the girl.

"But Arthur said that if the princess ever found out..."

"Well I'm the king! I promise that I won't tell the princess anything."

The girl looked up at him doubtfully. "You promise?" She asked. Uther nodded.

The girl seemed to struggle for a moment, before saying, "Okay then, if you _promise_ not to tell the princess."

"I promise."

The girl looked around her and beckoned for Uther to come closer. He leaned in further, amused, expecting for an outrageous child's tale.

"Arthur is in love with Merlin," she whispered. Uther frowned.

"Who's Merlin?"

"His servant, silly!" she said gleefully. "They're in looooove!"

Uther straightened up so that he was looking down at her again. "Where did you hear this story?"

"I didn't hear it, I saw it," she said. "Just now in the woods, I was searching for star fairies because Robert told me they were there in the mornings but instead I found Arthur and Merlin!"

"Did you now?" Uther said absently. He wasn't sure if this girl was to be believed. She nodded.

"I told my mother and she said it was stupid, but Edgar from down the street says it's true."

"I'm sure it isn't," Uther said.

"It is though!" The girl said earnestly. "I _saw _it!"

"What you saw must have been your imagination," Uther told her. She shook her head frantically.

"No it wasn't, I swear! I saw them and then Arthur told me not to tell the princess and he made me promise-"

"_Yria!" _The girl's explanation was cut off by the shout of a woman walking quickly towards them. The girl stopped and turned to her mother.

"Yria, there you are, what have I told you about running off like that?" Her mother said fiercely, grabbing her hand. "I am so sorry, my lord," She said, bowing deeply to the king. "She has a habit of running off, sire, I promise she won't bother you again."

"It was no trouble," Uther said.

"My sincere apologies, sire," She said again, bowing, then she spun around and walked briskly away, tugging at the hand of her daughter. The girl twisted and waved cheerfully back at the king, who's mind was already elsewhere.

Of course this girl's story was a tall tale, Uther thought to himself, something she had cooked up in her imagination. What else could it be? There was no way Arthur had feelings for his servant, the idea was preposterous beyond belief. He was a prince, he would never consort with a servant, especially not a _male _servant, and not when he was already married. He had seen the prince and princess together, and they shared a love that could never be torn, there was no way what the girl said was true. Just a child's overactive imagination...

Then again, his son had always seemed very close to that servant of his. Uther had never paid him much attention, but he could tell that Arthur was very fond of the boy. There was no question that they were friends, but to suggest that they were anything more than that was ridiculous. After all, the prince and princess were inseparable. Although the marriage_ had_ been pushed on to them...

"Enjoying the morning?" Uther looked over to see King Vladimir standing beside him.

"Indeed," Uther said absently. "The day is nice, and the people are happy, and so am I."

"Quite," Vladimir agreed. "Your people seem very happy indeed, I've never seen a city run this smoothly. Even in my kingdom there is much crime, but there barely seems to be any here in Camelot."

"I'm a little surprised myself," Uther admitted. "I think your presence is setting a mindset for them, making them more content."

"It must be Arabella," Vladimir mused. "She brings happiness wherever she goes."

"That much is clear," Uther agreed.

"I will be very sad to leave this place," the other kind said, looking at the passersby. "I really have enjoyed my stay here, but I know that I must return to my kingdom soon. My advisor is ruling in my absence, but I must return to take over at some point."

"I'll be sad to see you leave," Uther said to him.

"It will be strange, leaving my Bella behind," Vladimir went on, "The castle will be empty without her. But I'll be comforted in the fact that she will be safe and happy here with Arthur."

"Of course," Said Uther idly. "Speaking of Arthur, have you seen my son today?"

Vladimir frowned. "I think I saw him and that servant of his leaving the castle early this morning, but I haven't seen him since. Actually no, he's right there!" He pointed at the two figures walking towards the castle. The prince was striding quickly, servant a few feet behind.

"Ah, yes," Uther said, peering at them.

"Interesting fellow, that servant of his," Vladimir said, nodding at the boy. "Arthur never seems to go anywhere without him."

"No," Uther shook his head, "Arthur seems very fond of him for some reason."

"A man who treats his servants well is guaranteed to be a good one," The other man said.

"Quite so," Uther said vaguely. "If you'll excuse me Vladimir, I wish to have a word with my son..."

He left the other king behind him as he retreated down the steps to meet the prince.

"Arthur!" he called out when they were close. "Where have you been?"

"I was taking a walk," Arthur replied. He had an excuse ready, but he hadn't really expected to have to use it with his father, so he hadn't made it very believable.

"A walk?" Uther echoed skeptically. Arthur nodded.

"To familiarize myself with my people. I can't rule them if I don't know them."

"And where's Arabella?"

"She wished to sleep in this morning," Arthur said.

"Right..."Uther said, eyeing him suspiciously. "Anyways, I wish to speak with you, in the council room."

"Of course," Arthur said, frowning. "Is something wrong, father?"

"I hope not," Uther said, and he turned to walk into the castle, Arthur at his side, Merlin trailing behind.

When they reached the council room it was empty save for a few guards. Uther reached the front of the room and turned to face his son. His eyes raked over him, standing at attention, waiting patiently for Uther to speak, an intrigued tilt to his mouth. His eyes moved to his servant, who had been left near the door. He was watching them with his hands folded in front of him, waiting for Arthur to finish here. Uther looked from him to his son and back again, trying to tell if this was an accusation worth making. It was a child that had told him, after all...

"Father?" Arthur said when he was silent for too long.

"Your manservant," He said, nodding towards him. Arthur froze visibly, causing Uther's suspicions to grow. "You're...close to him, aren't you?"

"I...he's a friend, if that's what you mean," Arthur replied. Uther looked back to see Merlin standing wide-eyed, gaze lowered.

"A friend," Uther repeated. "Why?"

"I'm not sure I understand, father..."

"Why is he your friend? He's just a servant!" Uther said.

"I'm confused, did you call me here to discuss my servant?" Arthur asked, brow furrowed.

"Yes! No! I..." Uther blanched as the ridiculousness of the situation hit him. He was accusing his son of having an affair with his manservant on the basis of the word of a _child..._The evidence was clear, the whole thing was ridiculous.

"No," He said finally. "It's nothing, never mind. Now go and attend to your duties."

"Are you sure?" Arthur asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes, now go, there are many things to do." He decided to ignore the look of relief on his son's face.

"Thank you, sire," He said, and turned to leave the room. Merlin bowed quickly before following him. Uther watched them go, wondering if he should have confronted Arthur after all, then shook his head. The idea was too preposterous, he told himself, he's only being paranoid...


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Thanks so much for reading! Next chapter will be up soon, I promise! Reviews are very welcome! :)**

* * *

Uther paced within the castle, mind working furiously as he battled with himself. It's preposterous_, _He thought, Absurd, even, the thought of it! Arthur was a man of nobility and honor, he bore his title with pride! To think that he would put his title and his reputation at risk to be with a servant...the very idea! It's almost laughable! Sure, Arthur was close to the boy, but he had always been close to his people no matter what their status. He saw him every day, so it would only make sense for them to be friends, Uther could see that. But for Arthur to see him as anything more than that was beyond unbelievable. For starters, he was a servant, and then there was the obvious fact that not only was he that, but a _male_...No, Arthur would never go that far. And even if he did, he knew the risks and he would have ended the relationship as soon as he married Arabella. He was a man of honor and nobility after all.

Besides, Uther thought, Even if any of this held even a flicker of truth to it, there was no reason for Arthur to be disloyal to Arabella. He and the princess were happy together, that much was obvious. They were inseparable, both of them nothing but happy in each others presence. Arthur loved Arabella, there was no doubt about it, and any feelings for his servant- if there ever were any, which was highly unlikely- had melted away in his love for her. Yes, Uther thought, that's the end of it.

And yet, something caught the king's eye as he glanced out of the window overlooking the courtyard below. His son and his wife were preparing to go for a ride in the woods. Vladimir had told him about how much Arabella loved horses and how she loved to ride them any chance she got, so she and Arthur would go riding together as soon as Arthur had time to spare from his princely duties, which had not been in weeks.

Uther watched as the royal couple stood in the bright sunlight, arms linked as always, watching as Arthur's servant and the stable boy who Uther hadn't bothered to pay attention to prepared four horses. Two were equipped with the fine saddles used only for nobles, the other two had the worn saddles reserved for servants. The king watched his son carefully. The princess leaned over and said something, and the two laughed. Arthur gave a reply and they laughed again, and Uther saw Arthur's servant scowl briefly before grinning. Whatever they had said, it must have concerned him somehow.

Uther studied the boy, who was now bringing the horse forward and handing the reins over to the prince. The king frowned as he tried to recall all the times he had seen him. He knew that he was Giaus' ward, living with him in the physician's chambers in the castle. He always seemed to be trailing after him whenever Uther needed the man's help. He was like an assistant to him, a constant shadow. When he wasn't with Gaius, he was attending to Arthur, always trailing after either the prince or the physician. Come to think of it, Uther thought, the boy always seemed to be there, ever since he had been made personal manservant. He was always there in the background, watching everything that happened. The King had never given him much thought, but in the back of his mind he had noticed his presence in everything that happened in Camelot. Strange, He thought, furrowing his brow in frustration, that he saw the boy everywhere he went but he couldn't recall his name.

In the courtyard below, Arthur squeezed the servant's shoulder briefly in thanks, and Uther's eyes narrowed as his son's hand lingered there for a moment too long, before sliding off as he swung onto the horse. He smiled warmly down at him and the boy grinned back before running to mount his own horse. The King tried to convince himself that the interactions were completely normal for a master to have with a servant that he's close to. He turned his attention to the princess, and he saw something that caught the attention of his overly paranoid mind.

The stable boy from the other kingdom presented the horse to her, a gleaming white stallion. He held the reins in one hand, and Arabella gave him a brilliant smile, and the stable boy smiled back, the two gazing at each other for a fraction of a second too long. She moved past him, and as she passed she touched his arm, just briefly brushing her fingers along his bicep before swinging on the horse. The boy held the animal in place, and when he was sure the princess was secure, he ran to jump on his own horse.

The King watched them intently. Perhaps it was the girl, then, who was disloyal. Perhaps she was in love with the stable boy, it made more sense. She brought him with her from her own kingdom, and insisted on his assistance instead of accepting it from one of the many stable boys Camelot had to offer. And this certainly made more sense, seeing as the princess was a _girl _and the stable boy a _boy, _instead of the ridiculous notion that a male prince would love a male servant.

Uther's mind raced as he watched the four ride away. If there was an affair happening, by the laws of Camelot the princess would have to be executed. But King Vladimir was fiercely protective of his daughter, and her death would result in a war, no matter what wrong she had done. If Uther even accused her of adultery it would destroy the alliance that the two kingdoms now had.

The king shook his head in frustration and tried to banish the doubts from his mind. All these suspicions were coming from a single touch he had seen exchanged between the princess and the stable boy, it probably meant nothing. Things in the kingdom were going so smoothly that he subconsciously thought it too good to be true, Uther told himself. He was becoming paranoid, his mind playing tricks on him. Yes, that was it, it's probably nothing. Just his overactive imagination cooking up a story from a tale that came from the overactive imagination of a child. It's absurd, he chastised himself as he turned from the window and made his way down the steps, Completely and utterly absurd.

* * *

The four lovers rode from Camelot, each one all too eager to escape the prying eyes of the city. They urged their horses onwards, wanting to get as far into the woods as possible in the quickest possible amount of time. They had joyful smiles on their faces as they rode, the city disappearing behind the thick cover of trees behind them. As they plunged further into the forest, they rode faster, the trees becoming a blur as they galloped on.

Finally, they reached a fork in the road that they had all become very familiar with in the last few weeks. Arabella and William barely gave time to give the other two a joyful wave before speeding off down the left fork side by side, laughing happily. Arthur and Merlin waved back, galloping down the right fork. As they rode they exchanged gleeful glances, grinning brightly for a few moments before returning their attentions to the path ahead. Arthur found himself staring more than once at Merlin as he rode, at the soft gold playing across his features, the way his body rose and fell as his horse sped on.

He smiled, thinking to himself how on earth did he manage to fall in love with this idiot? This servant, who was everything a servant should not be. He usually did not do what he was told, and when he did, he almost always managed to make a complete prat of himself, tripping over himself and knocking things over and creating a bigger mess than he had been told to clean up. He was by far the most rude servant Arthur had ever had. Never before would it have been tolerated for a servant to call his master such names as "clotpole" and "dollop-head," ingenious though they were. But somehow this idiot, _his _idiot, managed to get away with it, each insult coming with a warm, teasing grin and a wiggle of those ridiculous ears that the prince was so infatuated with, so that he couldn't bring himself to be angry for very long, and instead found it endearing.

On the horse beside him, Merlin looked over and caught his prince staring at him. He gave a wide grin and kicked his horse, speeding up so that he was racing far ahead of Arthur, who smiled widely and went after him.

They arrived in their clearing, breathless and laughing. They leaped off of their horses and barely spared time to tie them to a tree before they attacked each other, tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs. They lay in the grass, lips meeting again and again. They moved so that Arthur's legs were lying beside Merlin's, his torso hovering above him, arms braced on either side of his shoulders. Merlin brought a hand up to wrap around his prince's neck and bring his face to his. After a few seconds he grinned, breaking the kiss.

"Finally," He said softly.

"It has been far too long, Merlin," Arthur said, nipping at the others' lower lip.

"Since when?" Merlin asked, knowing the answer but wanting to hear him say it anyways.

"Since I got to kiss you like this," Arthur replied, "The last time we tried to be together we were seen by a child."

"And we haven't really had another chance to do it anywhere else," Merlin said. Ever since the incident with little Yria, they had not dared to touch each other more than a squeeze on the shoulder or a pat on the back, not even in the safety of their chambers, in fear of getting caught once more. The separation had been driving them mad, and so when the opportunity had presented itself to them to finally get away from the bustling city, they seized it without a second thought. Arthur shook his head and ducked his head down again.

Many minutes passed- or maybe it was hours?- and the prince and his servant found themselves leaning against each other in the cool shade of a tree, their shoe-covered feet the only part of them touching the bright golden sun.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked, and the prince hummed, his fingers tracing lazy circles up and down his love's arm. "Is this really how our relationship is going to be for the rest of our lives? Stolen looks, tiny brushes of fingers, the only time we really get to be together is every few weeks like this?"

Arthur grimaced, not liking the sound of that. The thought of a life of continuous deceit and hiding like this made his skin crawl. "Not for the rest of our lives," He assured Merlin, "Just until I'm king. Then Arabella and I can reveal our secret and publicly be with who we want."

"But when will that be?" Merlin asked, shifting to look Arthur in the eyes.

The golden-haired prince sighed deeply and shook his head. "I don't know," He said softly. "My father is a strong man, it will be a long time before I can take over the throne." No point in giving Merlin false hopes, he thought to himself.

The saddened look on Merlin's face gave Arthur the urge to either stab something or hold him closer. He opted for the latter, winding his arms around his beloved and holding him tightly to his chest, as if he was never willing to let him go.

"So for the next decade we'll be hiding in fear that your father will chop my head off. Great," Merlin mumbled, settling closer into his lover's arms. Arthur sighed.

"I'm sorry, Merlin," He whispered into his hair. "One day we will be together without that fear, I promise."

Merlin gave a small smile. "I know," He replied, reaching up to plant a kiss on Arthur's lips.

* * *

Uther stood on the castle steps watching his son ride in beside his wife, galloping and slowing to a trot when they reached the courtyard. The servants rode a few paces behind them, humble and respectful. Uther watched them carefully as the four stopped their horses and dismounted. The stable hand stepped forward to take the reins and Arthur and Arabella moved away from them, arms linked, laughing and looking as though they had just had the time of their lives. Arthur's manservant- what was his name?- trailed behind them.

The royal couple smiled brilliantly as they passed the king.

"Hello, father!" Arthur called out, sounding in far better spirits than normal.

"Hello, Arthur, Arabella," Uther greeted, nodding to them both in turn. "Did you have a good ride?"

"Oh, yes!" Arabella said, eyes sparkling. "We went to the lake. Camelot truly is beautiful! My kingdom back home is flat and full of dead trees and brown water. But here- I've never seen such mountains before, or such lush forests!"

"Thank you, Camelot is beautiful, isn't it?" Uther agreed with her. She smiled.

"I'm so glad that this is my home now," She said earnestly.

Uther gave her a tight-lipped smile. "It is my pleasure to have you here with us."

Arabella and Arthur gave him another ear-to-ear smile and rushed up the stairs together. Uther watched after them for a moment, pondering how happy they seemed to be. The servant boy walked behind the two royals, who appeared to be completely ignoring him. He turned his attention to the stable boy, standing in the courtyard with the reins of two horses in each hand. He led them towards the stables, where he tied them to the posts and began taking off their saddles.

Uther watched him, wondering about him. Could it be there was something to the way he and the princess had interacted this morning? If so, it was his duty to confront the offender. He started towards the stables with determination, eyes fixed on the tall brown-haired boy. Halfway across the courtyard, he paused.

If he was wrong here, the boy could go to King Vladimir and inform him of the accusation, and perhaps the king would be so offended that he would tear his beloved princess from Camelot and declare a war. After the joyful way Camelot had been running as of late, it would be a terrible thing to have it end so quickly. But then again, if his suspicions were correct, it would also mean a war, for the princess would be committing a crime worthy of death. Vladimir would not allow that either. Although, Uther supposed, perhaps they could agree to simply kill the boy and the kingdoms could leave each other in peace. After all, Uther isn't an unfair king. He squared his shoulders and continued his journey towards the stables.

When he reached the boy, he cleared his throat loudly, causing him to turn and jump when he saw who was standing before him.

"My lord!" He exclaimed, bowing deeply. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Uther paused, deciding how best to go about this. "You're from King Vladimir's kingdom, aren't you?"

"Yes, sire," The boy replied, looking up at him.

"What's your name?" The king demanded.

"William, sire."

"William," He repeated. "Tell me William, you and the princess Arabella..." He noted how William seemed to stiffen in the slightest of ways, "Are you close to her?"

"Well, we are friends," William informed him. "At least, I like to think we are. I have been the stable boy as long as Princess Arabella has been riding, and she's been riding ever since she was a young girl."

"Has she?" Uther said, and William nodded. "Will you be leaving us when Vladimir returns to his kingdom?"

"I don't know sire," William responded, giving a small shake of his head. "I can see that there is no shortage of stable hands here, but I suspect that when her father and his party leave, she will be a bit overwhelmed by the new city and her new life. She might ask me to stay, just to have a familiar face around."

"But she has Arthur, surely that will be enough for her?" Uther suggested.

"I have no doubt that she will be comfortable here," William explained, "She does love Arthur with all her heart, anyone can see that. It's just that living in a new city with hundreds upon hundreds of unfamiliar faces- I imagine it would be hard to make such a transition without at least one person that she has known all her life. Once she becomes comfortable here, perhaps she will send me away."

"Yes," The king said, pondering this all. "Do you want to stay here?"

"Sorry, sire?" William asked, eyebrows rising in surprise.

"I asked whether you wanted to stay in Camelot with the princess or return to your home. No doubt you have a family of your own, and friends too. Your entire life is in the other kingdom, surely you would want to go back?"

"Well," William said, eying the king, "I have no family at home. My parents were killed only a few years ago. I do have a few friends, but my duty to the throne comes first. The king takes no notice of me, but if the princess wishes for me to remain in Camelot, then I must."

"But is it your wish?" Uther repeated. William shifted, suddenly seeming uncomfortable.

"I do wish to stay in Camelot," He began, choosing his words carefully. "It is far more beautiful here, and there is much more space to roam outside the city. In the other kingdom there was nothing to see, just fields of crops. I never truly felt like I belonged there. But here, with the rolling forests and the friendly people...I feel more at home here than I ever did where I came from. True, I will miss what friends I had, but that's a small price to pay." He finished, looking at Uther with a vaguely frightened look. Uther nodded, almost satisfied.

"You're a brave boy," He told him, deciding that he didn't seem too much of a threat. "You are loyal to the throne that rules over you, and that is a rare thing. I will leave you to your work." William bowed and the King turned and headed back to the castle, almost sagging with relief. Of course, he had just been paranoid. The boy seemed not a threat at all, simply a friend of a princess who was kind to her people, nothing more. From Arabella he had nothing to fear. Now all he had to do was settle his doubts about his son and his mind would be at rest.

* * *

The clang of metal on metal rang out, reverberating through the warm afternoon air. The King of Camelot stood at the window of the stairs, giving him a view of the training fields below. His son was training his men, all in full armor. The dozen or so knights sat or stood in a ring on the grass, watching as the prince practiced sword fighting with one of them. The princess Arabella sat underneath a tent, lounging in the shade. She watched her husband fight with a vacant expression on her face, her chin resting in her hand, legs crossed, foot swinging. Whenever Arthur won a fight she would call out a word of encouragement, but otherwise she appeared bored. Eventually, she turned to talk to a young squire, whose arms were full of dangerously sharp swords, ready to hand off to the knights. Arthur's servant stood on the other end of the field, behind the prince, holding a shield and a sword at the ready. Uther looked down on them, watching their interactions intently.

The clash of swords rang out and with a grunt the opposing knight's weapon went flying to the ground, and he found himself at the mercy of the prince. The knight yielded, picked up his sword, and went off to join the ring as another man approached. The servant and the princess both let out whoops of victory. Arthur raised his sword in a salute to his wife, then turned and grinned at his servant. He replaced his helmet and turned back to face the next opponent.

This knight didn't last a two minutes before his sword was also on the ground. Arthur took off his helmet and turned to his servant, handing him the sword and holding out his arm for a new one. The servant held out one of the other weapons he had, both hands cradling the long metal, extending the handle to the prince. As Arthur grasped it, his eyes met those of the others', gaze holding. A small smile graced his lips, and the look lasted for a long time, much longer than was appropriate for a master to look at his servant, in Uther's opinion. The moment passed and Arthur turned away from the boy, sword held high, ready to face the next knight. The servant set the other sword aside and stood to watch the prince fight. Uther scowled, turning away from the window.

It was ridiculous that he couldn't shake the suspicion from his mind, but all the same he couldn't help but wonder. He had plenty of evidence to support both sides, one that Arthur was having some sort of sick affair, the other that he was completely innocent. The King wrestled with himself as he swept through the castle and made his way to the council chambers, where he was no doubt needed to address some meaningless trial or another. And then there were preparations for King Vladimir's rapidly approaching departure. He didn't have time right now to worry about his son's love life. He had other things to deal with, things of greater importance.

But as he sat in the cold, gray room, listening to men drone on about the various problems looming over Camelot, Uther couldn't shake the thoughts of his son from his mind. He clenched his teeth, trying hard to concentrate, but he couldn't. The suspicion was driving him mad, and he couldn't focus on anything else.

That's it, he decided roughly. If it was causing this much disruption in his mind, Uther had no choice but to confront Arthur again. Tonight, he resolved, he would go to Arthur's chambers. He would as the princess to leave, requesting a private discussion with his son. Then he would confront him, no more skirting around the edges of the problem. He would ask him if there was an affair going on and banish the doubt from his mind once and for all. Once this was out of the way his mind would be clear to focus on other things.

He would wait until dusk, he decided. Tonight he would banish any doubt.

* * *

The King stood before the large wooden doors, staring at them. He half wanted to turn back, because really, the whole thing was preposterous. He really should turn back, he thought, most likely all that would happen was an awkward conversation with his son and a fierce feeling of stupidity. But he had turned back last time, and that had resulted in nothing but clouded thoughts. No, he couldn't turn away now.

He gritted his teeth and squared his shoulders, inhaling deeply before pushing open the doors. What he saw made him freeze in his tracks, shock and rage holding him in place.

Arthur was absent, and instead the princess Arabella was standing in the middle of the room in the close embrace of the stable hand.


	7. Chapter 7

Arabella and William stood in the center of the royal chambers, arms twisted around each other, lips pressed tenderly together. They kissed with a fierce need. It had been far too long since they had really had much time alone together, for they knew that Uther and the people of Camelot were getting suspicious. Their meetings were few and far between, and always too brief. Now they were together, knowing that the moment would have to end soon and William would have to leave his princess in the hands of her husband. He had one hand at her back, the other firm between her shoulders. Her hand came up to softly cup his jaw, the other resting on his shoulder. They kissed passionately, knowing that this was one of the few times they had to be alone together, away from the eyes of the people of the city. They kissed, lost to the world around them, until the sound of the doors slamming open made them jump apart.

When they saw who was standing there, they hastily tore their arms away from each other, but it was too late- King Uther was standing in front of the open door, motionless, mouth agape in shock and rage. His face was pale at first, staring from one to the other as he processed what he had seen. Then blood began to flow to his head, cheeks becoming stained with red, color creeping up from his neck and around his ears.

"My Lord " Arabella stammered, but she knew that nothing she could say would mollify the king. He had seen them, it was all over. He stepped forward in long, determined strides, leaving the door hanging open behind him.

"It's true," The king said softly, as if not quite believing it. "The rumors are true."

"Rumors?" Arabella repeated. "What rumors?"

"You dare be disloyal to your prince?" Uther roared, and the other two flinched in shame. "We graciously allow you into our castle, I allow you to marry my son and live in my city and this is how you repay me?"

"I'm sorry," Arabella said, her heart sinking. In the corridor outside, servants and guards paused while passing the room, distracted by the shouting. The chamber's occupants were too distraught to send them away.

"I knew it," Uther said bitterly, staring daggers at the girl. "I had my suspicions, I could see the way you acted around the boy-" he pointed an accusing finger at William, who shrank back- "But I thought you were a girl of honor! Of nobility! I never thought that you, the princess of a great kingdom such as yours, with such great duty, would commit an act as heinous as this."

"Is it so heinous?" William spoke up, and Uther turned to him, fuming. "She was forced into the marriage, but all she really wanted was to love me, is that such a crime?"

"You," Uther growled furiously, advancing on him, "I spoke with you, and even you deceived me, your king. How dare you lie to me, you stupid stable boy? How dare you lay your filthy hands on the princes' wife? You have shamed the Pendragon name."

"Bella isn't a Pendragon, she's a Theroulde," William said defensively. "She loves me just as I love her, there should be no crime in that."

"Scum," Uther spat, "I knew everyone from your kingdom is a filthy rat, I knew it when I first saw you. Not to be trusted, deceiving people, the lot of you. I never should have trusted you." He ignored the offended noise that the princess made. "You do know the penalty for adultery in Camelot?" His voice was low and menacing.

William shook his head, eyes wide. He knew the penalty, of course, but he dared not say it out loud.

Uther glared at him. "Then you shall find out soon enough, for the penalty for adultery is death- " Arabella caught her breath-, "by beheading."

"No!" Arabella shrieked, causing the furious king to round on her again.

"Please don't kill him, it isn't his fault," The princess said frantically, rushing forward to confront the king. "Please, my lord, I came onto him, I'm the one to blame, do not hurt him."

"Don't think that your actions won't go unpunished just because you're royalty, girl," he snarled. "You're as much to blame as he is. As soon as the boy is dead your filthy blood will decorate the executioner's axe as well."

"You won't touch her!" William growled.

The color drained from Arabella's face. "No," She whimpered. "No, please, we'll stop this, we won't do it again."

"It's too late for that," Uther spat.

"Please!" She tried again, louder. "I'll send him back to my kingdom, we won't see each other again, the relationship will be over!"

"You had your chance to end the relationship," Uther said. "I don't know what the law is on royalty consorting with peasants where you come from, but here it is forbidden. The relationship should have ended when you married Prince Arthur. Now you have been caught being disloyal to my son, and you will pay the price for it."

Arabella stared, casting her mind around desperately for something to say to save herself and her love. The king would never believe her if she revealed the plan, and besides, that would only get Arthur and Merlin in trouble where they didn't deserve it. "My father won't allow it," She said. The king paused. "My father loves me, he would never let any harm come to me, no matter what I had done."

"True," Uther mused, scrutinizing her. "You may be safe from harm, but he will not stop me from killing your _lover_," He said the last word as if it were a particularly vile swear word, "And he can't stop me from waging war. It is his choice: He can let you pay for your disgusting actions, or he can buy your life with those of his people."

William's mouth fell open, looking as though he were about to be sick. Arabella faltered, tears springing into her eyes. "Please," she begged, "Don't do this."

At that moment, another loud, angry voice spoke from the doorway.

"What the hell is going on?" The three turned to see King Vladimir entering the room, standing at full height. He noted the guilty look on William's face, the rage-filled complexion of Uther, and the tears streaming down his daughter's cheeks. "What happened?"

"Your daughter," the King of Camelot spat, "Has been caught committing the crime of adultery against my son."

"Adultery?" Vladimir repeated, looking at his daughter. "How do you mean?"

"I mean I found her embracing that filthy stable boy!" Uther jabbed a finger in the direction of William, who looked to his king with apprehension.

"William?" Vladimir said, eying the boy. He shook his head. "You've got this wrong, Uther, William is just a stable boy, he and my Bella are nothing more than friends!"

"I saw them," Uther fumed, "Not five minutes ago I saw them together, and their lips were joined. Only lovers hold each other like that."

"But that's absurd!" Vladimir protested, "You must have imagined it, Bella would never dishonor your son in such a way! She's honest and noble, no daughter of mine would ever commit such an act."

"And yet I saw it, clear as day," Uther said menacingly. Arabella and William exchanged frightened glances. Vladimir stepped forward.

"Are you calling my daughter a liar?" He growled darkly. Uther returned the glare.

"All I am saying is what I saw: your daughter in the arms of the filthy stable boy."

Vladimir glared heavily at the other king, then turned to look at his daughter. She looked back at him, face flushed with fear. He saw the stable boy, who was watching him with a sick kind of terror. As the king peered at him, the boy swallowed and bowed his head slightly, eyes wide and vaguely trembling. He turned back to the king of Camelot.

"These accusations are absurd," He said. "You must withdraw them at once."

"I will do no such thing," Uther replied. "I saw her with the boy with my own eyes, and she has been found guilty. I don't know how things are in your kingdom, Vladimir, but by the laws of Camelot Princess Arabella and the boy must be put to death."

"You will not harm my daughter!" Vladimir bellowed, and behind him Arabella gave a small jump of fright, new tears flooding her face.

"I'm afraid those are the laws, Vladimir." Uther said through clenched teeth. "They must be executed."

With a roar, the other king unsheathed his sword and held it aloft. Arabella uttered the smallest of screams, and Uther stepped backwards at the sudden sight of the blade.

"_You will not harm my daughter_!" Vladimir seethed, gripping the handle of his sword so tightly that his knuckled glowed white. "If you attempt to kill her, it will be war."

Uther glared at him, eyes shifting from the glint of the blade to the outraged face of the king in front of him.

"Then war be it," He said calmly. Vladimir scowled at him for what seemed like an eternity, his breathes coming in deep inhales and exhales, his face reddening with newfound anger. Uther stood tall, hands in fists at his sides, returning the gaze. The tension in the room grew as the king of Camelot's words hung in the air. Finally, the princess broke the silence.

"Father," She said timidly, and the king gave no indication that he had heard her, eyes still fixed on the opposing king. "Father, please don't do this."

Her father turned to look at her standing there, her eyes bloodshot and tears running down her face.

"He has sentenced you to death," He informed her. "I have every right to do this."

"But not war," She pleaded. "Please, do not go to war because of this."

"And I should just let him execute you?" Her father said. She faltered.

"It's not untrue." She said clearly. Now it was the king's turn to falter as the meaning of her words hit him, and he peered at his daughter as if she were a whole new person. His arm went limp, so that the tip of his sword clattered against the stone of the floor.

"Arabella, is this true?" He asked softly.

The princess looked at her father, who was staring at her imploringly, eyes begging her to be truthful. She could see the doubt in his expression, the fear that his perfect daughter might have done something so wrong. She glanced around her. Uther was also staring at her, his face red with anger, daring her to deny it. Finally her eyes fell on William, who was wearing an expression of defeat. There was no point in saying it wasn't true, she realized, because no matter how she proceeded from now on, the alliance between the kingdoms would be tarnished. She swallowed and looked her father in the eye.

"It is," She confessed quietly. King Vladimir visibly deflated, holding her gaze in disbelief. His face fell and Arabella felt a wave of fresh tears as she saw his pained expression.

"Bella," He breathed, hardly daring to believe it. "It can't be true..."

"It is true. I..." She cast her gaze to Uther standing behind her father, wearing an expression of triumph. "...I love him, father." Vladimir looked on in disbelief as she hesitantly stepped to the side and reached out to take William's hand in her own. The king's eyes locked onto their joined hands, eyes wide as the confession washed over him.

"But...it can't be...it can't be true," He stammered, eyes never leaving their hands.

"I love him," Arabella said again, voice clear with confidence. Her tone caused her father's gaze to lift with hers. "I love him, father, and I beg you not to hurt him."

"Bella..." His eyes stared into those of his daughter. "Why would you do such a thing?"

"I knew of the consequences," She said, "But I had to do it, I had to. My marriage with Prince Arthur was unavoidable, I could see no way out of it, but I could not bring myself to end things with William, I would rather die than do that."

"You have my sincere apologies, sire," William spoke up, and King Vladimir turned to face his daughter's lover. "I know that I have dishonored your family, but I truly do love your daughter, with all my heart."

"You have caused pain, boy," Vladimir growled, "If you love her so, then you will be the one to pay in her place!"

"No!" Arabella shouted, "Don't hurt him!" She tightened her grip on his hand and pulled him closer. Vladimir paused, looking from one to the other.

"You see," Uther's voice came form behind him, "The slut confesses to her crimes!"

Vladimir's eyes darkened and he whirled around, wielding his sword once more.

"_You will not speak of her in that way!_" He all but screamed, and even Uther shrank back at the outrage in his voice. "I do not care if it's true or not, you will not insult Arabella in such a way!"

"But your daughter has insulted my son! She has tainted her own name, she brought it upon herself," Uther replied. Vladimir howled with anger and raised his sword, and Uther dove to retrieve his own from his side.

"Father, NO-"

Just then, two more people burst into the room, and the four turned to see Arthur and Merlin hurling into view, attracted to the scene by the small crowd that had formed around the door, listening to the exchange.

"What's going on here?" The prince demanded. The two looked from the drawn swords to Arabella's tearful face and her hands, joined with William's, and they could deduce what had happened.

"I'm sorry to break this to you, Arthur," Uther said, returning his gaze to the other king, "But I'm afraid your wife has been unfaithful to you."

"Unfaithful?" Arthur repeated, staring with genuine shock between his wife and her stable boy.

"I'm sorry, Arthur," Arabella said tearfully. "We were caught."

"I found those two embracing mere minutes ago," Uther went on, "It was clear as day, they don't even try to deny it. She has been deceiving you from the start."

Guilt washed over the prince as he looked at Arabella and her lover, looking terrified back at him. He dared not look back at Merlin, who was staring shocked behind him. "Has she..."

"She has. By the laws of Camelot she will be put to death."

"She will not be!" Vladimir said.

"Father," Arthur said, "Surely she does not deserve that much."

"What do you mean?" Uther snapped, turning to glare at his son. "She was unfaithful to you, by our laws that is punishable by beheading."

"But, I'm sure that punishment need not be so severe," Arthur reasoned, "I'm sure she loved this boy. After all, our marriage was forced, so perhaps he is who her heart truly belongs to."

"Arthur, I understand why you are defending her," the King of Camelot said, "I understand that you love her and do not want to see her harmed, but you must understand that an example must be made."

"But she does not need to die!" The prince said.

"She need not be killed," King Vladimir said, "Perhaps if we give you the boy to do with as you wish, and Arabella comes home with me."

"No!" three voices spoke in unison, the prince, the princess, and the servant, all desperately trying to defend the stable hand who stood still as stone, hand gripping his beloved like a vice.

"That would be reasonable," Uther mused.

"You can't do that!" Arabella said frantically, "You won't!"

"Bella, you will stay out of this!" Her father fumed.

"But-"

"Enough!" He yelled, causing the princess' mouth fell shut, and she turned to William to sob into his chest. He brought a hand to cradle the back of her head, stroking it soothingly, a stony but resigned look on his face. Arthur noted Merlin stepping beside him, and he resisted the urge to reach out and grab his hand for comfort and reassurance.

"You don't have to kill him," Arthur protested, "Perhaps just send them both back to their kingdom and we can put all of this behind us."

"Don't be ridiculous, Arthur," The King said, "He has dishonored you, and he must pay."

"But he needn't die!"

"You're awfully keen to keep him alive, boy," Vladimir said curiously, gesturing to him with the tip of his sword, "The stable hand was caught with your wife, surely you should be crying for his blood?"

"He's right, I would think you would be drawing your own sword," Uther said, agreeing with the other king.

"Well," Arthur stammered, "I am hurt, obviously, but I don't think anybody needs to die over this..." He tried desperately to defend himself. If he let on that he was in on it, things could get a whole lot worse. Behind the kings, William and Arabella looked at him, their faces pained with despair and wonder. Arthur pondered them: Over the last few weeks they had become his friends, the two of them spending so much time with he and Merlin in their plotting to deceive the kingdoms. He didn't want either of them to die, but he couldn't save them without revealing his own treachery.

"My lord," Merlin spoke up, and everyone in the room shifted their gaze to the servant that had so far remained silent. "Forgive me, but I think Prince Arthur is right. Arabella and William can go back to their kingdom and that can be the end of it, no lives need to be lost. Is it really worth the lives of your people over a petty feud?"

Arthur couldn't help but smile at his lover with admiration and pride in his rare displays of wisdom. Merlin glanced over to him, returning the smile lightly. Vladimir glared between the two of them.

"You two are awfully keen on each other," he commented, and they turned back to face the king.

"Sorry?" Arthur asked.

"The two of you..." The king's brow furrowed as he pondered a new idea, something absurd. "If I didn't know any better, I would say that you two are having an affair as well."

The color drained from their faces, and across the room, Arabella and William paled as well. Uther bristled with indignation.

"Don't make such ridiculous accusations," He spat to the other king. "You're just searching for retaliation, Vladimir, and you've resorted to the most ludicrous conclusions."

"But can you not see it?" Vladimir said thoughtfully, eying the prince and his servant, who fidgeted uncomfortably and tried to subtly step away from each other. "The prince spends more time with the boy than he does with Arabella, does he not?"

"The boy is his servant, of course they spend time together," Uther retorted, ignoring the fact that he had come into this room to make the same accusation in the first place.

"Their relationship is far more than Servant and Master," the foreign king said, "First I thought that they were simply close friends, but I can see that it is more than that."

"Not another word, Vladimir," Uther growled, brandishing his sword. "You have no evidence to support your absurd accusation."

Arthur gulped, a nervous sweat breaking out over his skin, watching Vladimir warily.

"The way they act together! It sounds ludicrous, sure, but you need only watch them to know that the prince is in love with his manservant. Perhaps he is not the only one being disloyal."

"Enough!" Uther roared. "Take back the accusation or there will most certainly be war!"

Vladimir turned away from his examination of the prince and the servant to face the opposing king, his sword raised. "There will be war, Uther, I promise you that."

While the two kings stared each other down, the room's other four occupants stilled, exchanging silent looks. Arabella and William held each other, having little to lose now that their secret was revealed. They looked to Arthur and Merlin, pleading silently. It was up to them to save William's life, and the lives of many of the people of both kingdoms. Arthur and Merlin thought furiously, desperately trying to find a way to avoid war. Meanwhile, Uther and Vladimir still argued over the new accusation towards Camelot's prince.

"Take it back!" Uther demanded, advancing towards the other king.

"I will not," Vladimir refused, brandishing his own sword. "I know what's going on here, don't try to deny it! Your son has been consorting with his filthy servant!"

Arthur cast his mind around desperately, for Uther was advancing, wielding his weapon threateningly, and he knew that if he did not act soon, one of the kings would die by the others' hand. Just as his father raised his sword, the prince spoke loudly.

"It's true!"

All five pairs of eyes were on him, frozen to him with shock. Arabella took a sharp intake of breath, and William stared in disbelief, eyes wide. The kings paused with their swords raised, heads turned to him as they processed what he had said. Merlin stared at him, eyes wide with surprise and fear. Arthur's stomach clenched, remembering that this reveal was exactly what his lover had feared most.

"It's true," he said again, fighting to keep his voice calm. "Merlin and I have been having a secret affair for over a year now." He reached out and took his servant's hand to mimic Arabella and William's position. Merlin's hand was trembling, and he gave it a light squeeze.

"So you admit it," Said Vladimir, eyebrows raised in surprise. Arthur nodded once.

"Arthur, this is madness," Uther said. "You don't mean that."

"I do. It appears that both Arabella and I have been unfaithful to each other." Arthur pulled on his hand, drawing Merlin closer to him. Across the room, Arabella and William mirrored their movement so that the kings were caught between the two couples.

"So that's it then," Vladimir said calmly, turning to the other king. "Your son has confessed to his crimes as well. This means war, Uther."

"No," Arabella whispered behind him. Arthur looked on, eyes wide with horror. The foreign king turned to his daughter.

"Come, Arabella," He said firmly. "We will depart at sunrise."

He reached out to grab her elbow and marched from the chambers, his glare straight ahead. The princess twisted in his grip and looked back on the people behind. Arthur and Merlin, Uther staring after them murderously, and William, staring after her with his arms half raised out to her, as if wanting to grab her back and take her away. She held his gaze as long as she could before her father pulled her through the gaggle of eavesdropping servants, and she was gone.

When they were gone, Uther turned to the three people remaining in the room.

"Guards," He called out, and two chain-mail clad men stepped into the chambers. "Close the city gates. Do not let anyone in or out, we cannot let King Vladimir return to his kingdom. And arrest these two peasants," He ordered, gesturing to Merlin and William. "Take them to the dungeons. "

"Father, please," Arthur protested, but Uther held up a hand to silence him. The guards obeyed, each one taking the servants and leading them from the room. They went without a struggle, looking back at Arthur. The prince stared after them helplessly. The doors closed and the corridor beyond was finally obscured from view.

"How could you do this?" Uther said, rounding on his son. Arthur stared back with a mixture of shame and defiance.

"It wasn't a choice," He stated, "I love Merlin, but by your laws we could never be together. So we carried on in secret."

"For how long?" The king demanded.

"Over a year now," Arthur answered.

"Under my nose, this whole time?" Uther fumed. "Arthur, how could you be so careless? Your actions have led to a war in Camelot. Hundreds of lives will be lost because of this."

"Not if we don't go to war," The prince rebutted.

"Don't be ridiculous, of course we have to go to war," His father said, "If we don't we will look like cowards."

"But father, surely it isn't worth so many lives over a simple thing such as love?" Arthur said.

"It is not the love that I am angry about, it is the dishonor. The Princess Arabella has dishonored you in the most vile way, and you have dishonored yourself."

"By being in love?" Arthur spluttered in disbelief.

"Yes," Uther said, "And you will pay for it. Both your servant and the stable hand will be beheaded in the morning."

Arthur's breath stopped. "You can't."

"I can, and I will."

"No," Arthur said desperately, "They haven't done anything wrong!"

"They have dishonored you, and that is the worst crime one can commit. They will be executed. And there's no use trying to save them, Arthur. My word is final."

With that, The King of Camelot stormed off from the room, leaving his son weak-kneed and shaking, alone in his formal bridal chambers.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: So so so sorry for the long time I took to update! I've been pretty busy this past week. Anyways, ladies and gentlemen, I present: The final chapter! It's twice as long as all the other chapters, so maybe that will make up for the long wait? Maybe? After this I will post one final installment, either as a final chapter or an epilogue I'm not sure. I'll decide that later. For now, please enjoy, and please don't forget to leave a review!**

* * *

Arthur sat in his pre-marital chambers, sitting on the edge of the bed and staring at the floor. The night had deepened and he had no servant, so he was cast into shadow, moonlight streaming from the window and pooling on the stone floor. It was warm, the open window carrying drafts of humid summer air into the room to lightly rustle the prince's golden hair. Outside, loud sounds could be heard instead of the usual stillness of the sleeping city. They were the sounds of King Vladimir's party as they prepared for departure. The hurried voices of the people called through the night, orders being barked with urgency. Apart from the disgruntled voices of the men, there didn't seem to be too much trouble, which meant that the city gates had not been blocked yet. Arthur shook his head. Did they really expect to be let go that easily?

Despite the warm air, the prince shivered, gripping his bed tightly. It had not been slept in since his wedding, so the blankets were taught and stiff. He clutched at them as he stared blankly at the moonlight on the floor, his mind in a whirl with everything that had just happened.

The secret was out. The kings both knew of the treacherous affairs with servants. And now the servants were going to be executed and a war had been declared. Arthur shuddered. So many precious lives were going to be lost, because of him. He closed his eyes and imagined Merlin, sitting somewhere in the dungeons below. What was he thinking about now? Was he wishing he was with Arthur as much as the prince wished he were with him? Or was he thinking only of the following day, when his head would be detached from his body?

The image formed in his mind of Merlin lying slumped over the chopping block, head rolling on the ground, leaving a trail of blood behind. The prince gasped and pushed the thought from his mind, because that could never happen, he could never let that happen. He thought back to weeks before, just after he had married Arabella. Merlin had voiced his fears, how he had been scared of exactly this. He had been afraid of getting caught and being sentenced to certain death. Arthur had reassured him that no matter what, he would save him. He had made a promise, a solemn oath, to shield him from the wrath of his father. Somehow he had to find a way to keep that promise. Somehow had to mollify his father enough to grant pardon and peace. But Uther was a stubborn man, and Arthur knew all too well that convincing him to change his mind would be a near impossible task.

There had to be a way. Somehow, he had to stop his father. He cast his mind around desperately, searching for a way. Uther had seen for himself the affair, and both royals had confessed to their sins. No amount of talk would convince the king that he hadn't been wronged.

But, Arthur thought, nobody really had been wronged. That was what the plan was, that there would be no real treachery. He remembered back to that day by the lake, when Arabella first proposed the idea, and then again on the night of their wedding feast, discussing the plan and how things would progress in the future. They would all be open and honest with each other, all knowing that royals were only pretending, and being fine with that. That had been the whole point, that there would be no affairs. No, Arthur thought, shaking his head, there hadn't been any adultery going on, not in the slightest. An affair is when one person lies with another behind someone elses' back. An affair is full of lies and deceit and sneaking around, and it ends in broken hearts. There were no lies here, since everyone was in on it from the beginning. The only lies were told to the kings, and it was they who were hurt more by the treachery than the actual parties involved.

Arthur struggled as he listened to the sounds of Vladimir's men from outside his window. When they discovered that the gates were closed, he would be furious. Uther would keep him as his prisoner in Camelot until he yielded, admitting that his daughter was in the wrong, and offered a full apology. But that would never happen, Arthur knew. Vladimir loved his daughter more than anything, and any wrong done to her meant war. Arthur remembered what the foreign king had said to him: "If any harm comes to her, any at all, whether it be her body or her heart, it will be on your head." An affair most definitely counted as a horrible wrong against the princess, and her father would not rest until it was justified. He cried for the blood of the servants, for the soldiers of Camelot, perhaps for Arthur himself. Anyone who wronged his daughter had to be punished.

And punished they would certainly be. Merlin and William were locked in the dungeons somewhere, counting down the hours until their lives would come to an end. Arthur's stomach twisted into a painful knot. Both of them were good people, loyal and brave and kind, not deserving in the least of what fate awaited them. Their only wrong had been loving. What good would come of killing them, Arthur wondered. It would only bring grief. Arthur pained to think what he would do if anything were to happen to Merlin. He wondered what would happen between the kingdoms. No doubt the marriage between him and the princess Arabella would end, their false bond torn when the secrets had been revealed.

He thought of his make-believe wife, and wondered if she was feeling the same way as he was. She was no doubt beside herself with worry, despairing of her lover in the dungeons. He thought of what she would do if William were killed. She was a strong woman, and Arthur had no doubt that she would carry on her royal duties with resigned grief, but inside she would be in a whirlwind of pain. It was clear that she loved William with all her heart, and his execution would result in a world of depression. The princess and Arthur were alike in that sense.

With that in mind, the prince thought of how to stop everything that was to come. Of course, rescuing the servants from the dungeons was a possibility, one not to difficult to perceive, but that wold not stop the imminent war. Somehow, he had to save everyone. He lifted his head and stared out of the window, gazing out at the moonlit sky beyond.

He got up and moved to the window to look down on the courtyard below. In the darkness he could only make out silhouettes and shapes of men moving about hurriedly. Standing by the stables amidst several of Vladimir's guards was a lone figure, standing still beneath a tent, watching the scene. Arthur knew that that was Arabella. He needed to get to her, somehow talk to he and ask her for help. Perhaps together they could come up with a plan. He turned around and rushed from his chambers, swiftly moving to get to the courtyard. There wasn't a moment to lose.

* * *

The darkness was stifling. Moonlight came through the little window in tiny slivers through the bars, only to be swallowed up by the blackness. The floor was hard and scratchy where Merlin sat across from William, strewn with straw and mouse dung and who knows what else. Outside of the tiny cell, groans and the scuffling of rats could be heard echoing through out the dark stone halls. Through the window, the distant sounds of Vladimir's party drifted through from the other side of the castle.

Neither servant said anything at first, their thoughts swirling with the events of the evening and what was to come in the morning. Merlin sat with his back to the wall, his knees drawn up to his chest. His hands fiddled with each other and he stared out into the darkness where William sat, his silhouette barely discernible.

After a while, William spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Do you think it will hurt?" He asked, shockingly calm.

"What will?" Merlin asked, his eyes searching to meet the others'.

"Beheading," William said. "I mean, it should happen fairly quickly, right?"

"I don't know, I've never been beheaded," Merlin replied, "But we aren't going to find out tomorrow."

"We aren't?" William said.

"Nope. Arthur's going to get us out of this."

There was a beat of silence.

"How do you know that?" Came William's voice.

"He promised," Merlin said matter-of-factly.

"Did he," The stable hand murmured. "How did he propose to do that?"

"I don't know. He just will," Merlin said firmly. He refused to let anything sway his faith. He and William were _not_ going to die.

"How can you know that?" William asked quietly. "I've talked to Uther before. He doesn't seem the type of king to let servants go free after something like this."

"No," Merlin agreed, "Uther is a stubborn tyrant, but Arthur will think of something. I know him, he won't let any harm come to either of us if he can help it."

In the darkness, Merlin could feel the others' eyes on him. "Arthur is a good man," William said, "I can see that much. But he can't stop an entire war breaking out."

Merlin closed his eyes. He knew William was right; The prince may be brave and strong, but his passion for his people would never be enough to sway his father's resolve once the king had made up his mind. If Uther wanted someone dead, then dead they would be.

Merlin shivered. He couldn't bring himself to accept that he would be dying in only a few hours. Of course, it wouldn't be too difficult for he and William to break out of the dungeons and make a run for it, but if that happened neither of them would be able to return to Camelot, and their beloveds could perish in the oncoming war. No, they needed to get out of this by somehow talking to the kings.

"Maybe not, but we won't die. I promise you that."

"You sound so sure," William commented. "You must get into a lot of trouble around here."

"Yeah," Merlin said, giving a huff of laughter. "Keeps things interesting."

"It sounds fun. Things are pretty dull where I come from. We're one of the smaller kingdoms, after all. It's peaceful, but sometimes peace can be a little..."

"Boring?" Merlin supplied.

"Yeah," William said. There was a moment in which neither said anything.

"That's one reason why I fell in love with the princess," William said after a while. "Everything in our kingdom was so tedious, but then there she was, alive and eager to embrace the world. I've known her ever since we were both very young, but once we grew closer, she came into my life like an explosion of color and sound and beauty." He paused, reminiscent in his words.

"How did you manage to get so close to her?" Merlin asked.

"When I first met her, we were both very little," William explained. "My older brother was the stable hand, and I would go with him every day to learn how to care for the horses. There I befriended the princess, and when I took over as the stable boy, we spent so much time together that we became very close. Every day she would come and talk with me, pretending to be asking after the horses. Years passed and finally I realized I was in love with her. It was like a slap in the face, because I thought I would never be able to have her. But one day, two years ago, she came to me in tears because her father was going to force her into a marriage with a prince from some other kingdom. She came to me for comfort, and she confessed that she could never marry another man because she was in love with me."

"You must have been happy," Merlin said.

"I was," Said the stable boy, "But I was also scared. I was glad that she felt the same, but having an affair with the princess is risky, of course. If anyone were to find out it would mean certain death for me. Vladimir is a kinder king than most, but I feared he would not be so understanding."

"I know what you mean," Merlin responded. "Sneaking around with royalty is hard. When Arthur and I first got together, it was difficult. The people were already suspicious of us, since we were best friends before. But we were able to brush it off, pretending I was always with him because I was his servant."

William snorted ruefully. "At least you had that advantage."

Merlin nodded. "We were always destined to be together," He said. "From the very beginning, it was meant to be."

"Destiny? You believe in that?"

Merlin looked through the darkness, trying to find William's face. He could make out an eye, glinting in the moonlight.

"Don't you?"

"I don't know," William said. "I can't really bring myself to believe that our lives are planned out for us. I like to think that we can make our own choices."

"Destiny can be troublesome," Merlin said, "and unbelievable. But sometimes...you just know something is meant to happen. You can feel it. Like with me and Arthur. Even if we weren't together, it's my destiny to be by his side anyways. To protect him."

"How can you protect him?" William asked, sounding more curious than doubtful. "If you aren't his lover, you're just his servant."

Merlin paused for a moment, worrying his lower lip. "I know," He said quietly. "But it's long been foretold that Arthur will be the greatest king Camelot has ever known, and he will unite the land of Albion, and it is my destiny to be by his side and protect him."

He paused for a moment, his eyes staring into the darkness. "It was by chance that I fell in love with him. That Arthur loves me back is just lucky. Even if he didn't want me, I would still be there, just making sure he's safe. Maybe not by his side, but I would be there, somewhere, protecting him. He needs me." He gave a small huff of laughter. "I've saved his royal arse more times than I can count, and he doesn't even know it. If it weren't for me...he would have been killed long ago."

"You really do love him, don't you?" William said, his voice soft and thoughtful.

Merlin nodded into the blackness. "Of course I do. It's been clear for some time that we were meant to be. It's been said that we're two sides of the same coin."

There was another beat of silence. "You sound very sure of that."

"I am sure," Merlin said with certainty, his voice soft but clear. "Arthur and I are meant to be together, we always have."

"And that's what makes you so sure that you aren't going to die?" William said.

"If I do die, destiny will be rewritten, and that's never supposed to happen," Merlin said. "We'll get out of here, somehow. We aren't going to die tomorrow."

The other man sighed. "I just hope you're right."

The two men fell into silence, sitting in the darkness and waiting for morning to come.

* * *

The cool summer air danced around Arthur where he stood hidden behind a pillar, scanning the courtyard. His eyes searched the faces of the people hurrying about, illuminated by moon and torchlight. The men milled about the area, tending to horses and packing up big bags of supplies. King Vladimir stood in the center of it all, his great silhouette looming as he shouted orders, his voice rough.

Arthur's eyes fell on the tent only a few yards from him, where the Princess Arabella stood in a light blue travel gown, watching as her servants prepared her horse. She stood completely still, her face impassive. Her hands were joined in her front, her fingers nervously twisting a simple silver bracelet around her wrist.

Arthur approached her, creeping up in the shadows. Behind the tent there were no servants, only a torch casting orange light onto Arabella's back and a large barrel. Arthur crept behind it, sticking his head over it and peering at the princess.

"Arabella," He hissed, and she turned to look at him, first with confusion, then with surprise.

"Arthur!" She exclaimed. Now that he was closer, he could see that her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, as though she had been crying recently. "What are you doing? you can't he here!"

"I can go anywhere I want, it's my castle," Said Arthur, stepping closer, looking around himself to ensure he won't be seen. Nobody was paying close attention. "I need to talk to you.

"I'll be leaving soon..." Arabella said.

"You do know that you won't be able to leave, right? My father gave the order to close the gates," Arthur pointed out.

"I know," The princess sighed. "Father likes to pretend he still has some power."

Arthur moved closer to her, stepping so that he was standing just inside the shadows. "We need to find a way to stop all this."

"Of course we do!" She said, mirroring the urgency in the prince's voice. "How?"

"I was hoping you would have an idea," Arthur confessed, looking at her imploringly.

"I don't know. How the hell are we supposed to save William and Merlin and stop a war?"

"Maybe you could talk to your father?" Arthur suggested. "If anyone can persuade him, it's you."

"Don't you think I've tried that?" Arabella retorted. "He won't listen. He keeps saying that you wronged me, so it's only fair that you be punished. He says if that means war, then so be it."

"But your father does anything you say! He loves you more than anything!" Arthur exclaimed.

"He loves me, that doesn't mean I can control him. He took me here to force me to marry you, remember?" The princess stared up at him, her jaw set in annoyance. "If you think it's that easy, why don't you go and talk to your father?"

"He won't listen to me," The prince replied, feeling a bit dumb for repeating what she had just said. "He never does. Once he's made up his mind, he's deaf to all reason."

"See? It's not always that easy."

Arthur struggled to bite back a retort. "There must be something we can do!" He said harshly. "Your father isn't an unreasonable man, surely he'll listen if you just talk to him!"

"I've tried!" The princess said again in frustration. "You said it yourself, he loves me more than anything. I already told you, anybody who wrongs me is equal to the devil in his mind, and something like being unfaithful to me is one of the worst wrongs one can do."

"But I didn't wrong you!" Arthur protested, "There was no affair!"

"I know," Arabella said consolingly, "That's the whole point of this, isn't it? There was no wrong done."

"I thought your father would understand once everything was explained to him," Arthur huffed.

"I don't know if he would," Arabella said. "He might if I told him there was no wrong done."

Arthur jerked his head in surprise. "Haven't you told him that?"

"No," Said the princess, her eyebrows rising in surprise. "I didn't think he would listen to me right now."

"Of course he'll listen to you!" Arthur said, "If you explain to him the whole plan, maybe he'll see sense!"

Arabella frowned as she considered it. "He's so angry right now, I don't think he'll listen to me until he's calmed down."

"We don't have time to wait for that, Arabella," Arthur said, staring into her eyes with urgency, "You need to tell him now, before Merlin and William are executed."

The princess chewed her lower lip. "Will you tell your father?"

Arthur paused. "I don't know. I don't think he would understand."

"What wouldn't he understand?" Arabella said incredulously.

"That I could ever possibly love a servant that much, or that we could ever make a deal like that. Even if he did, there are so many other laws we were breaking."

"But it could stop the war," Arabella said. Arthur sighed.

"Arthur, we have to try."

"He won't see sense."

"I'll talk to my father and you'll talk to yours," Arabella said earnestly. "Please. If anyone can get our fathers to see sense, it's us. We have to at least try, to stop the execution and the war. We have to at least try."

Arthur gave a resigned sigh. He knew she was right. If there was even the slightest chance that he could save Merlin, he had to try.

"Okay," He said. "I'll try to talk to him."

"Good," She said. "Go quickly. Now, before somebody sees you."

They looked around themselves at the men bustling about. Any minute now someone could see Arthur standing there and raise the alarm to an already enraged King Vladimir.

"Okay," Said Arthur, backing away. "I'll talk to him."

The princess nodded. "Good luck."

He nodded back to her, then turned to run back towards the castle.

* * *

The council rooms were filled with tired-looking men all dressed in the robes of Camelot. They stood around the long table, speaking urgently and poring over maps and documents. Uther stood at the head of the room, listening with rapt attention as various knights spoke of fighting strategies and routes. His mouth twirked into an angry frown as he ran his mind over the various ways this approaching war could go. His mind pulsed with anger, always returning to the memory of the slut princess with the dirty stable hand. The foolish girl didn't deserve such a life, living in his castle and ruling over his kingdom. She would be cast out, back to the filthy kingdom she came from, she and her idiot father, and the stable hand would be killed, as he deserved.

"The gates have been closed, my lord," A knight announced as he entered the chambers. "King Vladimir is our prisoner."

"Well done," Uther said to him. He would keep the foreign king with him until he was given a full apology, and he admitted that his daughter was in full fault. Until then, he would be kept as Camelot's prisoner.

He ground his teeth as rage washed through him in a wave identical to those that had plagued him ever since he had left his son's chambers. That that girl would dare be unfaithful, with a servant of all things, was enough to drive him to madness. She had seemed kind and intelligent at first, it seemed unbelievable that her true nature be something so insane. And the boy, William, he knew there had been something off about him when he had confronted him by the stables earlier. He had been wrong to brush it off as his paranoia. The King made a mental note to never write things off has his imagination again.

He thought of his own son's confession and a slight shudder ran through his body. If he was being honest with himself, that truth was worse than the princess'. It was bad enough that his son was having a secret affair with a servant, but that it was a male servant was as wrong as it could get. It was disgusting, the very thought of it. But of course, not nearly as bad as the princess. She was a guest in the castle, given the honor of marrying the Prince of Camelot, and she had the audacity to turn her sights to a dung-covered stable boy. No, her wrong was indeed greater than that of Arthur's.

He should have gone with his instinct, he thought to himself as somebody pushed a detailed map towards him. The rumors, everything the townspeople had said every doubt that had crossed his mind during the last few days had all been true. He had written it off as paranoia, but little girl in the courtyard had been right for god's sake, that stupid, naive little girl had been telling the truth about Arthur and his servant, and he had brushed it off. He should have confronted his son when he had the chance, he thought bitterly, then he could have put an end to all of this and this whole fiasco could have been avoided. He could have stopped the affair then and there, and carried on...

Sadly, he had been too naive to see clearly what was in front of him, just like that foolish excuse for a king, Vladimir. Now they would go to war until either the other king bent to his will, or every last man in Camelot was dead.

There was a loud bang, bringing Uther out of his thoughts. He looked up from the documents on the table to see Arthur bursting into the council room.

"Father," He said breathlessly, "I need a word."

The king clenched his jaw. He was not ready to face his son, not now when he was still so angry. "Later. I'm busy right now."

"It's urgent," He said, striding forward. "Please."

"No, Arthur," Uther said harshly. "Preparations must be made. You will leave the council chambers at once."

"My lord, I need only five minutes. Please, I just need to talk to you."

Uther stared hard at his son, who glared back with urgency, his eyes wide and pleading. He gave a resigned sigh.

"Fine," He said. "Leave us." With a wave of his hand, the many knights bowed their heads and filed out of the room, the doors closing with an ominous clang. Arthur and Uther were left alone, facing each other in the flickering torchlight, the long paper-strewn table between them.

"Well?" The King spat. "What is it?"

His son appeared to be struggling. He drew himself up to his full height and looked his father in the eye. "I have a confession to make," He said, his voice confident.

"That you're with your servant? Yes I know, and you aren't going to stop me from executing him."

"That's not what I was going to say."

"Then what is it?"

"I...It concerns the...affairs that Arabella and I...indulged in."

Uther said nothing, instead waiting for his son to continue.

"The truth is, father, that there were never any affairs."

"Excuse me?" The king said.

"There never were any affairs. Neither I nor Arabella were unfaithful." Arthur's voice was full of confidence, but his eyes were wide with fear.

"What are you talking about?" Uther snapped. "I saw Arabella, and you confessed. If you're trying to save the servants it's too late for them."

"Just let me explain," Arthur said, his voice rising in volume. He strode forward so that he was standing at the front of the room in front of his father. "I do not deny that I have been in a relationship with my manservant. But the word 'affair' means that I was going behind my wife's back, which I did not do. Neither did Arabella. Both of us were fully aware of the others' relationships."

Uther narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying?"

"I mean that Arabella and I were in on it from the beginning," Arthur said. "Before we married, we spoke with one another. We knew we would be forced to marry each other, but both of us could tell that the other was in love with someone else. So we struck a deal, that we would get married, but only as friends. We would continue on with our original relationships and there would be no sneaking around. The marriage was simply for show, to please you and Vladimir."

Uther stilled, his eyes fixated on his son as he tried to process what he was hearing. Arthur went on,

"You are angry that Arabella was disloyal to me, but she never was. I knew even as she embraced him what she was doing, and at the same time she knew as I was with Merlin. It was an arrangement we made from the beginning. Arabella never wronged me, and I never wronged her."

Merlin. So that's his name, Uther thought amidst all the anger and confusion.

"You mean to tell my you both conspired to dishonor the royal family?" He said, quietly fuming.

"What dishonor was there?" Arthur objected, "We only wanted to be with those that we truly love."

"But with _servants?_" Uther said, his voice rising in anger.

Just as Arthur opened his mouth to reply, the doors flew open and King Vladimir strode in, followed by Arabella, looking frenzied. Uther and Arthur spun around to face them. The other royals neared them. Vladimir stepped to Arthur, peering closely into his eyes. Arthur cast a questioning look to Arabella, then looked back to the king before him.

"Is it true?" The foreign king asked quietly. "You and Arabella knew of the affairs all along?"

Arthur was quiet for a moment, before saying, "It is true."

"You both knew of it from the beginning? It was just a show?"

"That's right."

Vladimir stared into the princes' eyes, searching for signs of deceit.

"Sire, I beg you to understand. We were in love, but there was no way out of the marriage. Loving was our only crime. Neither of us have been wronged."

"Father, he speaks the truth," Arabella spoke up from behind him. Vladimir stared at Arthur for a moment longer, then turned to address Uther.

"Did you know of this?" He asked.

"No," Uther said gruffly. "Arthur was just telling me the same thing before you came in."

"So before tonight, you too were completely unaware of the...doings of our children?"

"Yes."

Vladimir was quiet for a long time, his jaw set as he worked through this new information.

"You can understand, can't you?" Arabella pleaded. "I only wanted to love who I truly love. It's not that I don't like Arthur, he has become a good friend to me. But I do not love him, and he does not love me. Surely, what we did was not so terrible?"

Her father turned around to look at her. "No, it isn't," He said. "Although I do not approve of it, I can understand why you did what you did."

The princess sagged with relief. "So you will pardon William and stop the war?"

"I..." He turned again to look at the King of Camelot. "I would like for there to be peace. A war is not worth it. If Uther agrees with me, I would like to end the war and return to my kingdom with my daughter."

Uther said nothing, his mind working furiously, tumbling through disbelief and indecision. The three people before him were looking at him imploringly, silently begging him to accept. But how could he? Despite the fact that Vladimir seemed to be alright with everything, dishonor was still dishonor. Both the prince and the princess had consorted with peasants. Aside from the treachery, the dirty act of that alone was enough to send him into outrage.

"Guards," He called, and two appeared immediately. "Go to the dungeons and fetch the two servants. Bring them here. Now!" The guards bowed and retreated.

"Will you grant them a pardon?" Arthur asked, looking at his father hopefully. Uther looked back at him, unsure of what to do. His son had done something so wrong, it was difficult to see past that. Having an affair is one thing, but with a manservant is quite another, enough to make the king retch with disgust. Of course, in his youth he had been tempted with serving girls, but he had held his ground, none of them worth risking his honor for. He could look, but not act, for servants were the lowest forms of citizens.

"This serving boy, Merlin," Uther said to his son, "Do you honestly think that you love him?"

"I've never been more certain of anything," Arthur responded without delay. "I love him. I don't care if he's just a servant, I love him all the same."

"And you would risk your honor to be with this boy?"

"I would risk everything," Arthur said with determination. "Although I don't see what's so dishonorable about loving a servant in the first place."

Uther stifled a retort, wanting to avoid an argument for the sake of answers. "And your wife?"

"I like her very well," Said Arthur, "But she is my friend, nothing more, and she knows that. She has a love of her own."

The King turned to Arabella, who nodded in agreement. He moved his questioning gaze to Vladimir, who was looking from Arthur to Uther with what appeared to be incredulity and, somehow, respect.

The doors opened and the guards returned, each one gripping a servant tightly at the upper arm. The four royals in the room directed their attention to them, the younger two starting forward, then stopping, casting apprehensive looks to the King of Camelot. The servants were dragged forward to the front of the room, until all the chambers' occupants were standing at the head of the long table.

Uther stared at Arthur's servant, who looked up at him through wide eyes. Of all the people to take Arthur's heart, why this boy, Uther wondered? This boy, Merlin, was scrawny and too pale, with a long, distorted face and messy, unkempt hair. His clothes were ragged and caked with dirt, clinging in a disheveled fashion to his skinny frame. Memories surfaced in Uther's mind, of when he had seen the boy before. There had been many times when he had been carrying an armful of either laundry or armor and tripped over nothing, sending things scattering across the floor. He was constantly running around, stumbling into everything and falling over, leaving a huge mess in his wake. The King remembered entering his son's chambers while the servant clattered around in the background, making a fool of himself. There had been times when he had overheard a conversation between the boys, which consisted of the servant being extremely rude and disrespectful in the face of royalty, calling him names that should have gotten him hanged.

"Please, they have committed no crime, and they deserve to be pardoned," Arthur said when the king had been quiet for too long.

The prince of Camelot was supposed to be clean, proper, noble, true to his bloodline, and yet he had been seduced by a rude, clumsy, ugly peasant. If that wasn't a crime, Uther didn't know what was.

"No," he growled, stepping from behind the table and striding forward until he was standing close to the rest of the people in the room.

"No?" Arthur repeated, incredulous.

"This boy has corrupted the mind of my son, and for that he must pay." Uther's voice was low and deadly. His gaze was fixed only on Merlin, ignoring the stable hand beside him. "He must be executed." He unsheathed his sword from his side, holding it aloft before the servant.

There was the sound of metal on metal and suddenly Arthur stood between his father and Merlin, his sword drawn and held defensively. "You won't harm him," He said, looking directly into the King's eye. "You won't harm either of them."

"Get out of the way, Arthur," Uther said threateningly. "You cannot stop me. You need to learn that nobles do not consort with peasants."

"Killing him will not stop me from loving him," Arthur said. "Put the sword down. I don't want to hurt you, but if you harm Merlin, I will not hesitate."

"Get out of the way, Arthur," Uther fumed, and when the prince did not move, he said: "Fine. Then I will have to fight you."

Arthur's eyes widened in shock as his father's sword was brought down and countered with a block. Uther thrust the sword down again, and Arthur gripped his own weapon with both hands as he defended, meeting each blow. The prince stepped forward, meaning not to hurt his father, only to drive him away from the servants. Uther had no choice but to retreat, the two backing away from the servants, swords clashing.

"Surely!" Vladimir yelled over everything, "Uther, blood needn't be spilled over this!"

The King ignored him, choosing instead to bring his sword to the side, hoping to knock his son away so that he could reach the serving boy. He knew it was improper to slay a servant so unceremoniously like this, but he didn't care. Merlin had to die, and it couldn't wait until morning. No, he would act as the executioner on this night.

Meanwhile, Merlin looked on, desperately watching Arthur fight with his father. He glanced over at William, and they shared a brief, terrified look. They had to get out of this, somehow. Eventually, Arthur or Uther would hurt the other, and that could result in mayhem. He and William had to escape, they had to run, and hope that that would be enough to stop the fighting. He looked around himself, searching for a way out.

Arabella and her father were standing beside each other, the former with her hands clasped over her mouth, the latter looking helpless as the battle raged on before him. Their attention was completely diverted from the servants behind them. Merlin looked down at where the guard had a firm grip around his bicep, his hand covered in an extremely thick leather glove. He turned his head to look at William, who was being held in the same position. Merlin leaned forward and saw that the guard holding him had the same glove on his hand. An idea struck him.

Pointing his gaze at the guard's hand, he murmured an incantation just underneath his breath. As his eyes glowed gold, he twisted and cast the same spell on the guard holding him.

The men yelled in shock as their hands were forced open as the leather glove stretched out, forcing their fingers to uncurl from their grasp on the prisoners.

"William,_ run!_" Merlin yelled, and before the guards could catch them again, they turned and bolted for the doors.

Behind them, Uther saw their escape over his son's shoulder. With a tremendous roar, he brought his sword down so ferociously that Arthur was knocked to the floor. The king ran forward surpassing the confused guards and launching himself at the servants. Arthur picked himself up quickly, but his father was already far ahead of him. He ran after him, and it was a race, the servants in front, followed by a furious Uther and a desperate Arthur. Merlin and William reached the closed wooden doors, and their pause to open them was enough for the bloodthirsty King to reach them. He raised his weapon and aimed for the middle of the manservant's back.

As he brought his sword down, William looked behind him and gave a frenzied shout of, "Merlin, look out!" But he was too late, and the weapon was already on it's way down. Merlin was busy fumbling with the door handle, and he couldn't move fast enough. William launched himself to the side, pushing Merlin out of the way just as the King's sword met the same space.

William let out a cry as the sword ripped through him, dragging through his shirt and piercing his skin. The cold, sharp metal swiped through, drawing a long slash from his spine and slicing open his side, finally bursting from his flesh and sending a spray of blood splattering to the floor. As soon as the sword left William's body, Uther was tackled by Arthur, pinning his arms to his sides and sending the weapon clattering from his hand.

There was a horrified cry of "_William!_" and Princess Arabella rushed forward, running desperately to where the stable boy lay on the ground. Her father followed close behind, a concerned expression covering his face. The princess threw herself to her knees at his side and turned him over so that he lay on his back. She gathered his head into her lap, and her hands shook as she held his face, moving one hand to stroke the hair from his eyes.

"William," She whispered softly, and he looked up at her, bringing a hand to cover the one that caressed his cheek.

"Bella," He said, his voice barely a whisper. Around them, the other people gathered, looking solemnly down on the couple. Merlin stood, having stumbled from when William pushed him out of the way, and now stared down in shocked disbelief. Vladimir gazed at his daughter, sharing in her pain. Arthur stopped, having succeeded in restraining his father, and looked down in horror. Uther seemed to have forgotten his intent, his eyes frozen on the scene before him.

"No," Arabella said hoarsely, her eyes brimming with tears. Underneath William, a large pool of a dark red liquid was spreading out, rapidly running over the stone floor and soaking into the princess' dress, staining the sky blue fabric. His breathes came in rasps, his chest rising and falling as he gasped for air.

"It's not that bad, Bella," He managed to say, even as the bloodstains crept from the gash in his side onto his clothes, weaving up towards his front. "I'll be fine, you'll see."

"You can't die," She said, tightening her grip on her beloved. "You can't."

"I'm not going to," He reassured her, gazing up into her eyes. "You and I are going to go home and get married, like we always dreamed, remember?"

Arabella fought against the tears that were spilling down her cheeks. "You'll be granted a pardon, and we can truly be together."

"Exactly," William said, giving a slack-jawed smile. "Just like we always planned. Our dreams will come true."

"You'll be okay," Arabella whispered. She gathered him into her arms, shifting so that his entire upper body was resting on her lap, his head propped up by her arm, near to her face. She pressed her forehead to his.

"You aren't supposed to die now." Her voice broke.

"Shh," William said consolingly, bringing up a hand to cup her neck. He looked directly into her eyes as she choked back sobs, frantically gripping at his limp body. "You'll be alright."

"No," She shook her head, tears now spilling from her eyes and splashing down her front.

"I love you," She breathed. William took one last shuddering breath. His hand tightened on the back of her neck for a brief moment, before it fell to rest against his chest. His entire body went slack in his beloved's arms, and he was still.

There was a long moment in which time seemed to stop. The little group of people looked on in horror as the princess clutched desperately at the body of her love, now just a shell of what used to be. Then she let out a tortured cry and buried her face into his neck as sobs overwhelmed her.

Her hands moved to fist in his hair and clothes, and she rocked back and forth, the sound of her wails echoing off the walls of the otherwise silent chambers. His blood continued to spread out from under him, moving past Arabella to stain the tips of King Uther's boots.

The King of Camelot looked around him. Beside him, his son was staring wide-eyed down at the girl consumed with grief, misery mirrored in his own features. Merlin's lips were slightly parted in shock, at a loss for words at what had just happened, moisture pricking at his eyes. King Vladimir was gazing down at his daughter, his expression pained and grim. When Uther's eyes fell on him, he lifted his gaze to look at the other king.

"There," Vladimir said, his voice clear. "You got your execution. I think that's enough bloodshed, don't you? That should be enough. Now, my daughter and I only wish to return home in peace."

Uther gaped at him, then looked down at the princess, still holding William's body, her tears soaking into his clothes to mix with his blood. He looked down at where the same blood was now seeping over the very tips of his boots, and something shifted in his chest, something that he almost dared to call remorse. He lifted his head once more and saw Vladimir looking at him imploringly. He closed his eyes and nodded.

* * *

Not a cloud touched the sky. On the horizon, the very first rays of sunrise kissed the land, paling the otherwise dark canopy above. Below, three figures stood on the shore of a lake as still as glass. They said nothing to each other, their heads bowed in mourning. Before them was a large white stone, reaching up to the heavens. in front of the stone was a small stretch of freshly turned earth.

Some distance away was a small gathering of horses laden with bags and banners, surrounded by men. Above them loomed King Vladimir, sitting atop his steed and looking with concern at the trio. Behind him stood the gleaming white castle of Camelot.

The three were silent. Princess Arabella had managed to stop her tears, and now she stared at the ground, grief consuming her thoughts. Beside her Arthur and Merlin stood in silence.

"I'm sorry," Merlin said quietly. "I wish there was something I could have done."

The princess said nothing. The only sound was the waves lapping at the shore and the shuffle of hooves behind them.

"Wherever he is, he's happy now," Arthur said. "He'll be waiting for you in Avalon."

Arabella sniffed and nodded numbly. "I only wish he could have gone home with me," She said hoarsely. Her voice was gone after she had sobbed until her throat was raw.

"I do too," Arthur said. "You two should have had a long life together."

Arabella took a shaky breath. "It was either him or Merlin," She said. "Uther was hell-bent. Nothing but one of their deaths would have stopped him from waging war."

Merlin shifted uncomfortably, noting how the princess had spoken as if he was not there.

"What will you do?" Arthur asked.

"I don't know," Arabella replied. "I'll go back to my kingdom and...mourn him. It's all I'll be able to do."

"And your father?"

"He won't force me to marry anyone else, I don't think. He knows what it's like to lose a loved one."

Arthur nodded. He wondered whether his father would let him carry on with Merlin, after everything that had happened.

"Will we ever see you again?" He asked. Arabella sighed.

"I don't know," She answered. "Perhaps one day, I'll return to visit. I'll want to see his grave, to remember him. But that won't be for many years. Before that it will be too painful."

"I understand." Arthur said. The three stood in silence for a moment, gazing at the smooth white gravestone. Across the lake, the sky paled and a sliver of sun appeared. The last stars vanished, consumed by light.

"That means now is goodbye," Arabella said, and she tore her eyes away from her love's final resting place to face the others.

"Goodbye, Merlin," The princess said softly.

"Goodbye," Merlin said, looking at the princess and doing his best to convey his sympathy. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was. He wanted to say how wonderful William was for giving his life to save Merlin's, and how grateful he was. But pain and guilt gripped his body, closing his throat so that he could say nothing more. He looked into her eyes, and he could see that she did not blame him.

"Goodbye, Arthur." She took one of their hands into each of her own. "You two deserve a long, happy life together. If Uther is still angry, you must make him understand, so that William's death won't be in vain."

"Thank you," Arthur said. "We will make sure that he sees. Goodbye, Arabella."

She gave each of their hands a tight squeeze before dropping them and turning to walk away to where her favorite white stallion stood waiting for her beside her father. She swung herself onto it and her party began to leave, marching off into the forest in the direction of their kingdom. Arabella twisted in her seat and gave them one last look, before turning and disappearing amongst the trees.

On the shore, Arthur and Merlin watched her go. The last of her party was swallowed by the forest as the sun rose higher into the sky, casting a golden light onto the glittering surface of the lake. The two stayed there for a long time, not speaking. At some point, their hands found each other, and they stood gripping with their fingers laced, standing before William's grave.

They stood in silence like that long after Arabella left, and the sun rose high into the sky, casting its warm glow over the land. Finally, one squeezed the others' hand and said, "Let's go home."

The other nodded, and together they started off into the trees, away from the lake and back towards Camelot.


	9. Epilogue

**AN: Well, here it is folks! The epilogue! I really wanted to end the story on a good note, so this is really short and pretty fluffy. Thank you so much for reading, I hope that you liked the story as much as I liked writing it! I had a lot of fun. So without further ado, I present: The Epilogue.**

* * *

The market square was alive with people. Music and laughter was everywhere, friends talking with friends and children playing amongst them. So busy was it that nobody noticed Merlin and Arthur leaning against a wall, watching the passersby with stony faces.

"They're all so happy," Arthur said quietly.

"Of course they are. Why shouldn't they be?" Merlin said. "Nothing in their lives have changed."

"True," Arthur replied. News of the recent events had spread quickly through out Camelot, the gossipers always on red-alert. Everyone knew of the reason for King Vladimir's sudden departure and the separation of Prince Arthur and Princess Arabella. The gossip only said that both parties were involved in some kind of affair, but nobody knew with whom or what had happened as a result. Many were confused, wondering why no executions had taken place, for they knew how much their king hated treason. Nobody knew that one of Vladimir's stable boys had not gone home with the rest.

Except for Merlin and Arthur. They stood in the market, watching the citizen of Camelot bustle about. Nobody was watching them, too focused on their own business. If they had noticed them, they would have seen their solemn faces and their close proximity, and new theories would have formed about what had happened. Those theories would have been right.

The people did, however, notice the red-clad figure moving through the crowd flanked by a pair of guards. The people parted to let him pass, bowing their heads with murmurs of "My Lord," and "My king." Uther paid them no mind, passing through as if they weren't there. He seemed to be searching for someone. Across the market, Arthur eyed his father.

"Do you think Uther feels sorry for what he did?" Merlin asked. Arthur was quiet for a moment before answering.

"I don't know," He answered. "He might be. You know how much he wanted you and William dead, he can't be too regretful. He was so hell-bent on having you two executed, so he has to be at least a little satisfied. Plus, he avoided a war. But even so...I think he does realize what damage he did. After all, he hasn't come after you, and if he didn't feel sorry, he would still be crying for your blood. He hasn't even spoken to me since Arabella left Camelot."

"He hasn't?" Merlin inquired, turning his head to look at his prince. Arthur nodded, meeting his gaze.

"Not a word. I don't know if he's angry or conflicted or what. This all might be a bit overwhelming for him. But I think he's going to leave you and I in peace."

"Do you really think that?" Merlin said doubtfully.

"No," Arthur admitted. "I know he'll never accept us. But I don't think he'll try and kill you."

Merlin laughed. "You wouldn't let that happen."

"Of course not, you idiot." Arthur nudged Merlin slightly, making him laugh again. The noise caused a few heads to turn, and the people finally realized that the prince was in their midst.

"Do you think Arabella will be okay?" Arthur wondered, dismissing the wide-eyed stares he was now getting.

"I think so," Merlin said. "I hope so. Losing William hit her hard, but she's strong. I think she'll move on."

Arthur nodded. "It must be horrible for her," He said. "I can't imagine what I would do if I lost you."

He reached out a hand to tightly grip Merlin's. Merlin sucked in a surprised breath of air.

"Arthur, people will see," He said, but instead of dropping Arthur's hand, he held on tightly.

"I don't care. I want them to. The people should know about us." Arthur looked across the market, over the heads of the bewildered citizens to find the face of his father. Uther glared at him murderously, his jaw set and his lips pressed into a thin line. He only stared, and made no move towards his son and his servant. Arthur's lip curled.

Just try and stop us, he thought. Then he turned his head and kissed his Merlin.

At first Merlin was stiff with shock, but he immediately responded, leaning into the embrace with enthusiasm. He lifted one arm to hook around Arthur's shoulders, and the prince snaked his hand to rest around Merlin's waist. Their hands stayed clasped together.

After a few seconds of breathless kissing, they broke apart, leaning their foreheads together and grinning stupidly at one another, their arms still around each other. Then they became aware of the cheers.

Applause rose up from the crowd around them, starting with the people nearest to them, the first people to witness the prince kissing his servant. Then the applause spread, and soon everyone in the market was cheering for the love between Arthur and Merlin. The couple turned their heads to see the people smiling and cheering, clapping enthusiastically and beaming with delight. The whole market was filled with joyous cheers, everyone approving of the pairing wholeheartedly.

"I told you!" Came a voice, and towards the front of the crown was little Yria, tugging at her mother's dress. "Didn't I tell you? I saw them!"

"Yes, I know dear," Edith said with a small smile, as she and her daughter applauded with everyone else.

"The people approve," Arthur commented. Merlin only smiled, a blush staining his ears and cheeks from the attention. The couple faced the crowd, and the prince gave them a wave. In the middle of the cheering market, he saw his father. King Uther was silent, his face stony and unmoving. He caught his son's eye for a brief moment, before turning to march back to the castle without saying a word, his shoulders stiff and set. Arthur took that as a good sign. He could deal with his father later, he decided, and turned to back to his lover.

"I love you, you know," He said, grinning. Merlin looked back at him.

"I love you too, prat."

Arthur laughed and kissed him again. The crowd erupted with fresh applause.

~THE END~


End file.
